Venous ulcers are the painful result of vein disease, when the one way vein check valves malfunction, allowing ‘reflux’ of blood flow into the superficial veins. Venous reflux causes swelling and inflammation in the surrounding tissues and blocks oxygen and nutrients to the skin resulting in tissue damage and skin ulceration. These sores can take weeks, sometimes months, to heal and can worsen quickly. Seeking treatment for venous ulcers is critical to avoid complications.
At Vein Specialists of the South, we take a “whole-person” approach to treating venous ulcers. We not only address the immediate and outward issues caused by these sores, but we also seek to treat the underlying venous reflex – decreasing the inflammation and improving the skin’s ability to receive nutrients. With individualized vein and ulcer care, most patients healed their venous ulcers.
Venous ulcers don’t have to be debilitating. Let our expert team of vein specialists help you get your life back with proper treatment and preventive measures.
Venous ulcers typically occur because of damage to the valves inside the leg veins. Many venous ulcers are preventable with early treatment of your vein disease. However, if you already have a venous ulcer, it is treatable. With compression and good venous wound care, most ulcers will heal, but 60% of ulcers recur within a year if the venous reflux is not corrected.
Venous ulcers commonly form in patients with:
The best step is prevention. This includes following the Better Veins for Life® conservative treatment program. For symptomatic saphenous vein and incompetent perforator reflux, correction of the reflux can prevent ulcer formation.
Once you have an ulcer the approach will change. The first step becomes compression and wound care to heal the ulcer. Addressing the underlying vein disease is the next key to successfully treat and prevent venous ulcer recurrence.
It’s just 3 easy steps…
Your vein consultation visit with Dr. Ralph Delius , Dr. Ken Harper and the VSS Team begins with us listening to your concerns. Then we perform a detailed exam and duplex ultrasound mapping study to identify superficial vein problems and additional testing as needed to identify any deep vein problems. Possible deep vein diagnostic studies may include CT, MRI, venogram, intravascular ultrasound.
Upon completing your evaluation you receive a plan designed to heal your venous ulcer. The initial phase of care includes good wound care and control of leg swelling. With the ulcer improved and/or healed the next step is to correct any saphenous venous reflux. Options for saphenous reflux offered at VSS include: thermal (RF Ablation) or non-thermal (VenaSeal™, Varithena®) endovenous therapy.
Bulging varicose veins may be treated with ambulatory phlebectomy or ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy (Varithena®) in the areas where the skin is bad. Ambulatory phlebectomy is the removal of bulging varicose veins via micro-incision (2mm) under local anesthetic. Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy injects sclerosing medication into the veins to collapse them rerouting the blood flow into healthy veins.
The final step is the treatment of incompetent perforator veins that are associated with venous ulcers. Perforator vein treatments offered at VSS include RF ablation, open ligation and ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy of the incompetent perforator veins.
Treating venous ulcers is a process. It usually involves a combination of wound care and vein treatments. Each case is unique and results may vary in healing time depending on the underlying problems.
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While the treatment regimen may take time, the individual therapies don’t typically require a lot of downtime. The wound care phase may be the most time-consuming part of your treatment plan, as sores require frequent cleaning and dressing changes. In some VSS cases, we have seen ulcers heal within weeks of venous interventions while others take longer.
Vein Specialists of the South is one of Georgia’s leaders in wound care. Our staff has spent hundreds of hours helping patients recover from venous ulcers, and they will work with you individually to determine the best treatment plan that fits your needs.
Since 1997, Vein Specialists of the South has helped thousands of patients like you with varicose veins, spider veins, and leg swelling. Dr. Kenneth Harper is a leader in vein health is a Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and the American Vein and Lymphatic Medicine. Terri Harper, MSN, FNP-C, is a renowned educator in the field of cosmetic sclerotherapy. Our dedicated nurse injectors have been trained by the best.
At Vein Specialists of the South, we have a passion for veins – big and small. We’ve helped over 30,000 people get Better Veins for Life®. Call today to schedule an appointment with the VSS team, where ‘Veins Aren’t Just One Thing We Do, They Are the Only Thing We Do.®’
Meet with your dedicated vein care specialists to get started on your personalized comprehensive treatment plan.
It’s not just one thing we do, it’s the only thing we do.®
556 3rd Street, Suite A
Macon, Georgia 31201
4851 Bill Gardner Pkwy,
Locust Grove, GA 30248
151 South Houston Lake Rd
Warner Robins, Georgia 31088
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