Venous stasis is a pooling of blood in the veins. A venous stasis ulcer is a wound on the skin caused by the pooled blood. These ulcers occur most often on the legs.
Veins have a series of valves that help the blood move in the right direction. When these valves fail to work properly, blood can move backward and pool in the veins. The pooled blood pushes fluid and blood cells out of the veins and into nearby tissue. The leaked fluids irritate the tissue and cause inflammation. Over time, the inflammation can breakdown tissue and lead to ulcers.
Factors that may increase your risk of venous stasis include:
Smoking is harmful to blood vessels. It may play a role in venous stasis.
An ulcer is present for more than 4 weeks. Venous stasis ulcers may:
You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. The diagnosis can often be made based on this information.
An ultrasound may be done. It can help to see how deep the wound is. It can also show blood flow to the area.
The ulcer will need some time to heal. It usually takes 4 weeks or more. Special dressings are usually needed. They can protect from infection and speed healing.
Excess fluid can cause irritation and further damage. The excess fluid will need to be moved away from the area. Options include:
Medicine may also help to improve blood flow. The medicine may be a pill or applied right to the skin. Options may include:
Other medicine may be applied to the skin to help healing.
Surgery may be needed for larger wounds to:
Venous stasis ulcers often happen again. Managing venous stasis will help prevent future ulcers. Factors that may help include:
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
Society for Vascular Surgery
Canadian Vascular Access Association
Health Canada
Collins L, Seraj S. Diagnosis and treatment of venous ulcers. Am Fam Physician. 2010;81(8):989-996.
Venous insufficiency and ulcers. New York-Presbyterian website. Available at: http://www.nyp.org/vascular/services/venous-insufficiency-and-ulcers. Accessed August 17, 2017.
Venous leg ulcer. NHS Choices website. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Leg-ulcer-venous/Pages/Introduction.aspx. Updated February 2, 2016. Accessed August 17, 2017.
Venous leg ulcers. Patient website. Available at: https://patient.info/health/venous-leg-ulcers-leaflet. Updated August 1, 2016. Accessed August 17, 2017.
Venous ulcer. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115837/Venous-ulcer. Updated September 18, 2016. Accessed August 17, 2017.
Last reviewed September 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Michael Woods, MD, FAAP
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.