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Venous Leg Ulcers

Vascular Institute of New York Our Services Venous Leg Ulcers

Vascular Institute of New York

Board Certified Vascular and Endovascular Surgeons & Wound Care Specialists located in Borough Park, Brooklyn, NY

When you scrape your leg, your body’s healing process naturally closes the wound over time. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case with ulcers. Located in the Borough Park area of Brooklyn, New York, the Vascular Institute of New York uses a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment plan to heal venous leg ulcers — leg wounds that can take weeks, months, or even years to heal without treatment. Call the Vascular Institute of New York or schedule an appointment online to learn more.

Venous Leg Ulcers Q & A

What are venous leg ulcers?

A venous leg ulcer is a sore on your leg, typically close to the ankle, which takes a long time to heal due to a lack of blood circulation in your lower limbs. If you have a chronic leg sore that hasn’t healed after at least two weeks, you may have a venous leg ulcer.

Without treatment, venous leg ulcers can cause pain, itching, and swelling. The skin around your ulcer may harden and produce foul-smelling pus over time.

What causes venous leg ulcers?

Venous leg ulcers occur after an injury, or a break in the skin. Normally, the veins in your legs carry blood back to the heart, which stimulates the healing process. However, if the valves in your legs stop or slow your blood flow, you can end up with increased blood pressure in your leg. This weakens your skin and makes it difficult for even a minor cut or scrape to heal on its own.

Leg ulcers affect approximately 1% of Americans and occur most often in older patients. There are many factors that put you at risk of developing a venous leg ulcer, such as:

  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • Previous leg injuries
  • Varicose veins
  • Blood clots
  • Diabetes
  • Chronic venous insufficiency
  • Paralysis

Venous leg ulcers are particularly common among women with, especially on the bony part of the ankle.

How are venous leg ulcers treated?

The world-renowned ulcer specialists at the Vascular Institute of New York offer a number of contemporary therapies for venous, arterial, and diabetic leg ulcers at their state-of-the-art offices.  

If you have a leg wound that isn’t healing on its own, schedule an appointment with the team. Your doctor will ask you about your medical history, especially if you have a chronic condition like diabetes, to determine the right treatment plan for your leg ulcer.

Once your doctor diagnoses your leg ulcer, they can determine whether the wound is infected. If so, then they’ll prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection. They may also recommend compression therapy to improve blood circulation in your leg, which speeds up the natural healing process.

It’s important to treat the root cause of your venous leg ulcer to prevent it from returning. When combined with compression therapy, certain medications can help improve blood flow in your legs.

In severe cases, the Vascular Institute of New York team may recommend surgery to improve blood circulation and prevent leg ulcers from returning.

The experienced specialists at the Vascular Institute of New York use the latest technology and equipment to diagnose and treat leg ulcers. To schedule an appointment with the team, call or book one online.

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