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Leg ulcer - venous - Background information
What is it?
- A leg ulcer is defined as 'the loss of skin below the knee on the leg or foot, which takes more than 6 weeks to heal' [NHS CRD, 1997].
- Venous leg ulceration is due to sustained venous hypertension, which results from chronic venous insufficiency and/or an impaired calf muscle pump. In the normal venous system, venous pressure decreases with exercise as a result of the calf muscle pump and the valves in the perforating veins (between the superficial venous system and deep venous system) preventing reflux of blood. If these veins are incompetent, and/or the muscle pump is impaired, the venous pressure remains high and ulceration may result [Grey et al, 2006b].
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