Current understanding on venous leg ulcer

Abstract

Venous leg ulcer (VLU) or stasis ulcer is a relatively common, chronic and recurring problem. Besides being costly to the health-care system, it significantly impairs the quality of life of the patients. Nearly 1% of adults and 3.6% of older patients are reported to suffer from this chronic condition. Chronic venous insufficiency is considered to be the predominant cause of VLU. The most recent theories associate the pathogenesis of venous ulcer with microcirculatory abnormalities and generation of an inflammatory response. The pharmacological treatment for VLU is based on the pathogenesis and often includes diosmin, pentoxifylline, diuretics as well as antibiotics and the non-pharmacological treatment like compression and skin grafting. VLU has a high rate of recurrence and requires self-care to avoid relapse. Treatment of VLU should always focus for complete treatment, and improve quality of life for patients along with minimum relapse. In recent years novel therapeutic approaches for venous ulcers have offered valuable tools for the management of patients with this disorder.