Single-visit venous ulcer assessment clinic: the first year

Abstract

Background: Venous ulceration is a significant clinical problem to both clinicians and patients. To optimize the management of patients with ulcers a single-visit, dedicated venous ulcer assessment clinic was set up.

Methods: All patients referred to the clinic during the first year were recorded prospectively. Each patient was assessed clinically and with colour-coded venous and, where indicated, arterial duplex scanning. Ulcers were classified as venous, arterial, mixed or non-vascular on a basis of ankle:brachial pressure indices and venous duplex scanning.

Results: Eighty-eight patients (104 limbs with ulcers) were assessed. Seventy-nine per cent of ulcers were venous, 2 per cent arterial, 12 per cent mixed and 7 per cent non-vascular. Of the 95 limbs with demonstrable venous reflux, reflux was confined to the superficial system in 57 per cent, the deep system in 6 per cent and was combined in 37 per cent of limbs. Of the 22 patients who reported previous deep vein thrombosis, nine had normal deep vein function. Some 38 per cent of limbs with no history of previous thrombosis had abnormal deep vein function.

Conclusion: In this clinic 14 per cent of leg ulcers had a significant arterial component and over half of venous ulcers may benefit from superficial venous surgery. In many ulcerated limbs, clinical assessment alone is inadequate to detect superficial reflux or previous deep vein thrombosis.