Chronic Venous Insufficiency -Venous Stasis Ulcers

Venous return blood back to the heart from the legs relying on a series of delicate one-way valves that prevent backflow of blood into the legs (“venous reflux”). When vein valves fail, are damaged, or there are vein blockages from clot, there can be pooling of blood in the legs – termed “chronic venous insufficiency.”

Symptoms usually associated with chronic venous insufficiency include:

• heaviness,
• tiredness,
• aching,
• burning,
• itching,
• throbbing, or
• cramping of the legs.

Examination of the lower legs may reveal edema (accumulation of fluid) in the lower legs, varicose veins (dilated, thickened vessels), stasis dermatitis (skin redness and inflammation), venous eczema (dry flaking skin), hyperpigmentation (brownish skin discoloration), lipodermatosclerosis (scarring of the skin around the ankle) and venous stasis ulcers (crater-like lesions around the ankles caused by reduced blood flow).

Once these ulcers develop, they can be very difficult to heal. With appropriate wound care treatment, venous stasis ulcers will usually heal. With early diagnosis, most cases of chronic venous insufficiency can be managed with treatments as simple as compression stockings. In some cases, surgery or other newer, less invasive procedures may be beneficial to improve venous function, relieve symptoms and prevent venous ulcerations.