Ad
related to: venous stasis ulcer pathophysiology
Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The exact cause of venous ulcers is not certain, but a common denominator is generally venous stasis, which may be caused by chronic venous insufficiency, [8] and/or congestive heart failure. [9] Venous stasis causes the pressure in veins to increase.
Causes [2] of venous stasis include: Obesity; Pregnancy; Previous damage to leg; Blood clot; Smoking; Swelling and inflammation of a vein close to the skin; Congestive heart failure. [3] Long periods of immobility that can be encountered from driving, [4] flying, bed rest/hospitalization, or having an orthopedic cast.
If the impaired vein function causes significant symptoms, such as swelling and ulcer formation, it is referred to as chronic venous disease. [3] It is sometimes called chronic peripheral venous insufficiency and should not be confused with post-thrombotic syndrome in which the deep veins have been damaged by previous deep vein thrombosis .
If this happens for prolonged periods of time, it progresses to what we call chronic venous insufficiency or CVI. With CVI the stagnant blood in the lower extremities starts to cause an inflammatory reaction in the vessels and the surrounding tissue, which leads to fibrosis, and potentially even ulcers, called venous stasis ulcers.
Stasis dermatitis is diagnosed clinically by assessing the appearance of red plaques on the lower legs and the inner side of the ankle. Stasis dermatitis can resemble a number of other conditions, such as cellulitis and contact dermatitis, and at times needs the use of a duplex ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis or if clinical diagnosis alone is not sufficient.
This valvular incompetence combined with persistent venous obstruction from thrombus increases the pressure in veins and capillaries. Venous hypertension induces a rupture of small superficial veins, subcutaneous hemorrhage [7] and an increase of tissue permeability. That is manifested by pain, swelling, discoloration, and even ulceration. [8]
Venous ulcers, which usually occur in the legs, account for about 70% to 90% of chronic wounds [2] and mostly affect the elderly. They are thought to be due to venous hypertension caused by improper function of valves that exist in the veins to prevent blood from flowing backward.
In chronic venous insufficiency, blood pooling impedes oxygen exchange and creates a chronic pro-inflammatory environment which both promote formation of venous ulcers. Peripheral artery disease, on the other hand, causes wounds due to poor blood inflow and typically affects the most distal extremities (fingers, toes).