Leg Ulcers

Leg ulcers are often a result of untreated venous reflux disease. At Houston Vein Specialists in Houston, Texas, esteemed vascular surgeon David D. Shin, MD, RVT, RPVI, FACS, can eliminate the root cause of your ulcers so you can start to heal and remain healthy long-term. Book your appointment by calling the office today.

What are leg ulcers?

Leg ulcers are slow-healing sores on the legs. Most leg ulcers occur on and around the ankles, but they can appear elsewhere too. Leg ulcers are the most common lower-extremity ulcer, with about 80% of treated ulcers falling into this category.

What causes leg ulcers?

Leg ulcers often result from venous reflux disease. With this type of disease, the vein valves that help blood flow upward stop working. Because the valves don’t close fully, blood returns to the veins and collects in the lower legs and feet. 

Venous reflux disease causes problems like varicose veins and leg swelling. As the disease progresses, inflammatory reactions and pressure within the veins can lead to skin thinning and breaking down. Ulcers are the result. 

Some people with venous reflux disease also have issues with the blood vessels that deliver blood to the extremities (the arteries), a condition called peripheral arterial disease (PAD). 

When you have PAD, your arteries narrow and don’t deliver adequate blood to your extremities. That can lead to additional difficulty healing ulcers in the leg area. 

What is the best treatment for leg ulcers?

At Houston Vein Specialists, Dr. Shin uses ultrasound to visualize the issues contributing to your leg ulcers. In most cases, the exam reveals unhealthy veins. Treating those can alleviate venous reflux disease, help ulcers heal, and reduce the chance of recurrent leg ulcers. 

Dr. Shin performs several procedures to eliminate unhealthy veins, with the most common being: 

ClosureFast™

With ClosureFast, Dr. Shin administers radiofrequency energy through a catheter directed at the vein wall. The energy heats the unhealthy vein and causes it to wither and die. 

VenaSeal™

VenaSeal also uses a catheter, but Dr. Shin delivers a medical adhesive into the vein. This adhesive immediately causes the vein walls to stick together, closing the vein. 

Phlebectomy

Phlebectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure for diseased varicose veins. For this procedure, Dr. Shin creates tiny incisions (just 3 millimeters) in the skin above the damaged veins to remove them. 

Houston Vein Specialists offers the most advanced solutions for long-term relief from leg ulcers. Book your appointment by calling the office today.