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Leg Ulcer Treatment

Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center Our Services Leg Ulcer Treatment

Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center

Cardiovascular Disease Specialists & Interventional Cardiologists located in North Houston, Tomball, TX

Leg ulcers caused by vascular disease are hard to heal, with about half of them still open for at least nine months. That’s why you need exceptional wound care from Waqar Khan, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI, Alexander Trujillo, MD, and Steven Napierkowski, MD, at Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center in Tomball, Texas. They provide extensive leg ulcer treatment, including advanced dressings and wound debridement, to promote healing. At the first sign of an ulcer on your lower leg, ankle, or foot, call the office or schedule an appointment online.

Leg Ulcer Treatment Q & A

What vascular conditions cause leg ulcers?

Leg ulcers are slow-healing wounds that appear on your lower leg, usually around your ankle or on your feet. These ulcers develop from two common problems:

Venous insufficiency

The veins in your legs work against gravity as they carry blood up your legs and back toward your heart. One-way valves in the veins let blood flow upward and then close to stop the blood from going back down the leg.

When a valve fails, blood refluxes backward and builds up in the vein. This condition is called venous insufficiency.

Venous insufficiency causes varicose veins and high blood pressure in the lower vein. As high venous pressure pushes fluids out of the vein, the fluids break down the skin and cause an ulcer or open wound.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

PAD occurs when cholesterol gets stuck on an artery wall, and plaque builds up. Without treatment, the plaque accumulates and limits blood flow. Without enough blood, tissues lack the oxygen and nutrients they need to stay healthy, and an arterial ulcer can develop.

If PAD completely stops blood flow, the loss of oxygen causes critical limb ischemia. This leads to the death of skin and muscles and gangrene.


What increases my risk of developing leg ulcers?

Venous insufficiency tends to develop in people who are inactive or spend a lot of time sitting or standing. Blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis, or a vein injury also increase your risk for venous insufficiency.

You’re more likely to develop PAD if you have a health condition that accelerates atherosclerosis, such as:

  • Diabetes
  • High cholesterol
  • High blood pressure
  • Being overweight or obese

Smoking cigarettes also raises your risk of leg ulcers.


What leg ulcer treatment might I receive?

Leg ulcers are slow to heal and don’t improve with regular over-the-counter options. Once a leg ulcer develops, you need the expert wound care available at Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center. 

The doctors provide customized outpatient leg ulcer treatment, such as:

  • Compression therapy
  • Wound debridement
  • Wound cleaning
  • Specialized dressings
  • Bio-engineered tissue substitutes
  • Off-loading to eliminate pressure
  • Negative pressure wound therapy
  • Antibiotic therapy
  • Wound care education

In addition to directly treating your leg ulcer, Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center takes care of the underlying condition that caused your ulcer.

If you have an ulcer that doesn’t improve, don’t wait to get professional wound care. Call Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center, or book an appointment online for leg ulcer treatment.

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