Open sores on the legs caused by chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which occurs when leg veins do not work properly in sending blood back to your heart. CVI causes blood to "back up."
Vein ulcers can be considered as an advanced stage of chronic venous insufficiency and can appear in patients with varicose veins and as consequence of clots. The ulcer, per se, is caused by a network of varicose veins with the onset of an inflammatory reaction that is responsible for the initial skin injury and development into the ulcer. The same process causes the typical leathery, red skin of patients with advanced venous disease.
Symptoms
Leg pain, swelling, itching, tingling, or cramping
Dark red, purple, or brown skin that feels hard to the touch
Shallow sores with a red base, sometimes covered by yellow tissue
A sore with unevenly shaped borders
Shiny, tight, warm, or discolored skin around a sore
Risks factors for vein ulcers
Varicose veins
History of blood clots, especially in the legs
Age (vein ulcers typically affect older adults)
Gender (women are more likely than men to develop vein ulcers)
Being tall
Being overweight
Pregnancy
Family history
Standing or sitting for long periods of time
Diagnosis
Vein ulcers can be diagnosed by a physical exam.
Your doctor should order an ultrasound or other tests to check for CVI (chronic venous insufficiency), which causes vein ulcers.
Treatment for vein ulcers
Medical treatments
Bandages and/or medicated dressings to help sores heal
Venous ablation, a catheter-based outpatient procedure that uses heat (via radiofrequency or laser technology) to close and seal a vein.
Sclerotherapy, an outpatient procedure that involves injecting a chemical solution directly into the vein, which stops blood flow and causes the vein to collapse and disappear over time:
