Chronic Venous Leg Cause, Features, and Treatment Options - Essay Example

The ulcer may become the cause of pain while standing. It leaks a yellowish-white exudate. The main underlying reason for the causation of venous leg ulcers is the increased pressure of blood in the veins of the lower leg. This results in the oozing out of the fluid of the veins beneath the skin. This damages the skin, which subsequently breaks down to form an ulcer. The pooling of blood in the smaller veins near the skin results in increased pressure of blood in the leg veins. This pooling of blood results due to the damaged valves in the larger veins.

The damage of valves may be the result of thrombosis in the veins, or to varicose veins. As a result of gravitational force, the blood backflows through the damaged valves and gets pooled in the lower veins. There are many hypotheses that explain the causation of venous ulcers due to venous insufficiency. One current theory proposes that white blood cells get trapped inside the narrow capillaries, which then attack and destroy the adjacent tissues of the skin. This theory poses a ground of evidence by putting forth the fact that high numbers of white blood cells and their by-products are found in the yellowish-white exudate of leg ulcers.

The common causes of chronic venous leg ulceration include poor blood circulation, bedsores, diabetes, high cholesterol, dietary problems, poor arterial circulation, and smoking. It is essential to improve on the ground of underlying leg ulcer causes for causation of venous leg ulcer. This not only confirms complete treatment of the ulcer but also rules out the possibility of another ulcer formation. An early and timely treatment assures the stoppage of a further increase in the size of the ulcer and the other related problems.

It should be considered that the occurrence of non-venous skin ulcers is not very common and the treatment of such ulcers differs from venous skin ulcers. The available treatment options for chronic leg ulceration include specialized dressings, occlusive dressings, compression treatment, medications, skin grafts, hyperbaric oxygen, supplements, and surgery. The compression treatment helps an increase in internal pressure. This effect of benefit in the venous leg ulcer is seen both with elasticized bandages and stockings.

Bandages of Interest in Management of Venous Leg UlcerCompression bandaging is the most important part of venous leg ulcer management and treatment. The compression bandaging counteracts the increased pressure in the leg veins and thereby sets the best conditions for ulcer healing. The most common method brought to practice is that of placing 3-4 layers of bandages over the dressing. While placing the bandages, the pressure is made to set such that it is highest at the ankle, and gradually less towards the knee and the thigh.

The bandages are required to be re-applied every week or at the time of change of ulcer dressing. It is preferential for faster healing to place the bandages on after elevating the leg for several hours or overnight. It is therefore advisable to keep the leg elevated just before the nurse is to apply a compression bandage.