Understanding Your Varicose Ulcer Diagnosis

On its own, it’s easy to associate an ulcer with a stomach problem, but “ulcer” is actually the medical term for any break in the surface of any part of the body, including internal organs. 

A varicose ulcer, also known as a venous ulcer, results from pooled blood, the same underlying cause as varicose veins. Varicose ulcers, which are usually in the lower legs around the ankles, tend to be slow to heal and vulnerable to complications. 

These open sores are difficult to treat at home, so when a varicose ulcer affects your life, visit us at Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins. Enrique Hernandez, MD, specializes in vascular disease, including varicose ulcers and their complications. 

How varicose ulcers begin

Veins are the return pathway for blood after it has delivered oxygen to your body’s cells. When you’re awake and upright, blood must climb against gravity to return to the heart and lungs. 

Veins feature valves along their length that act as backflow preventers, so blood moves in only one direction. With time or other conditions, these valves can fail, resulting in the pooling of blood in the lower legs. 

This creates pressure on vein walls that further aggravates the pooling conditions. When oxygen-poor blood lingers near the surface, skin cells start to suffer and ulcers form. Dr. Hernandez or your primary care physician can diagnose a varicose ulcer with a physical exam of the wound. 

Understanding your varicose ulcer diagnosis

We may perform additional tests to determine the extent of blood flow problems in your leg. These tests can include: 

• Ankle-brachial index: A blood pressure test of veins in your body
• CT scans: Useful to identify venous valve problems
• Doppler studies: Tracking blood flow through veins by sound

Varicose ulcers usually won’t heal spontaneously like a normal injury. Typical wounds heal from the inside, depending on the delivery of fresh blood. Varicose ulcers can’t draw from this healing source, so your wound needs treatment to overcome this condition. 

Treatment for varicose (venous) ulcers

The severity and location of the ulcer determines the treatments you require. Depending on which modalities you need, you may have frequent follow-up visits to monitor your progress. 

Varicose ulcer treatments include: 

• Antibiotics to treat infection and ointments that protect the wound from infection
• Compression bandages/stockings to aid leg circulation
• Daily wound cleaning
• Debridement: A treatment to remove necrotic (dead) tissue and debris in the wound
• Dressings that keep the ulcer clean and protected
• Pain relievers to manage any discomfort or pain as you recover

You may need to visit other specialists to manage contributing conditions, such as diabetes, which interferes with circulation and nerve function. 

There are more aggressive therapies, such as skin grafts or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, when varicose ulcers don’t respond to standard treatments. We’re foot wound specialists, so we can help with a wide range of conditions and treatments. 

Call Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins at our nearest Miami location or request your appointment here on our website today.