What types of leg ulcer are there?
• Venous Causes – about 75% of leg ulcers • Arterial Causes – about 15% of leg ulcers • Other Causes – about 15% of leg ulcers e.g. diabetes The commonest types are the venous ulcers. They are usually due to varicose veins. Vascular surgeons will always check for the other types of leg ulcer. Arterial ulcers require different treatments. They are usually cured by bypass surgery or angioplasty. The other causes of ulcer require treatment tailored to the underlying problem. Who needs treatment? • Anyone with a leg ulcer should be assessed by a vascular surgeon. • Also patients with severe varicose veins should be assessed to see if they are likely to develop ulcers in the future. • Patients with skin changes such as eczema, redness, brown discolouration or thick shiny skin are particularly at risk. • Patients will not necessarily have obvious varicose veins, often the vein problem can be related to the deep veins or the perforator veins between the deep and surface veins.
