Arterial Ischemic Ulcers

Arterial Ischemic Ulcers

Have you been diagnosed with poor circulation? When poor circulation leads to open wounds on the skin or underlying tissue, these wounds are known as arterial ischemic ulcers. Since tissue damage is caused by poor blood flow, wounds can take longer to heal and can become serious. Advanced wound care can help diagnose the cause of your ulcer while providing treatment to help protect your tissue health and heal wounds.

What Causes Arterial Ischemic Ulcers?

Peripheral artery disease is the leading cause of arterial ischemic ulcers. Narrowed or blocked arteries can inhibit blood flow to the skin and cause open wounds.

When you have poor circulation, tissue doesn’t receive enough oxygen and nutrients to stay healthy or heal.

Risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing arterial ulcers include:

• Peripheral artery disease
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Cardiovascular disease
• Older age
• History of poor circulation

If you have poor circulation, even minor injuries can lead to chronic wounds.

What Are the Symptoms of Arterial Ischemic Ulcers?

Symptoms will usually appear around the feet, toes, heels, or lower legs. Common symptoms include:

• Painful wounds that are exacerbated by rest or nighttime
• Round or punched-out looking ulcer
• Pale, yellow, gray, or black tissue in the wound bed
• Cool skin temperature around the wound
• Shiny, thin, or hairless skin on legs
• Weak or absent foot pulses
• The wound takes a long time to heal
• Discoloration of the skin around the wound

Many patients experience pain in their legs while walking that resolves with rest, known as claudication.

Why Are Arterial Ischemic Ulcers Serious?

Poor circulation deprives your body of the nutrients needed to heal wounds and fight infection. If left untreated, tissue loss can become serious and lead to severe complications.

Seeking treatment for your arterial ulcers can help prevent the spread of damage to surrounding tissue. Managing your wound can also help improve circulation when possible and reduce your chance of infection.

How Are Arterial Ischemic Ulcers Treated?

Because poor circulation causes arterial ulcers, our wound care specialists will work to manage your wound while identifying ways to improve circulation. Our evaluation will determine the cause and severity of your wound and allow us to develop a treatment plan specific to your needs.

Our patients have access to:

• Advanced wound dressings
• Debridement when indicated
• Infection management
• Vascular assessment and peripheral vascular referrals
• Advanced wound care therapies
• Wound monitoring throughout the healing process

Keep in mind that since circulation is critical to wound healing, treatment will usually focus on improving blood flow.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Arterial Ulcers?

People who suffer from peripheral artery disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or who smoke are at risk for developing arterial ulcers. Since prior circulation problems can contribute to wound development, it is important to pay attention to any skin breaks that don’t heal properly.

If you have a history of circulation problems or non-healing wounds, make sure to closely monitor any cuts or wounds that you receive. Regular doctor visits can also ensure any vascular diseases are managed to reduce your risk for future wounds.

When Should You Seek Wound Care Treatment?

If you notice a wound that is painful to touch, slow to heal, or are experiencing symptoms of poor circulation, don’t wait to seek treatment. The longer you go without treating your wound, the greater risk you have of tissue damage.

Wound care can help diagnose the cause of your ulcer. Once the cause is determined, we can begin to provide you with therapies to promote wound healing.

Trust SMC Physicians for Arterial Ischemic Ulcer Treatment

If you’ve been told you have poor circulation, or have a wound that will not heal, you may be suffering from arterial ischemic ulcers. At SMC Physicians in Northfield, our wound care specialists can evaluate your ulcers and create a treatment plan for your wounds.

Call SMC Physicians at (609) 377-5150 today to learn more about arterial ischemic ulcers, or request an appointment online for our wound care specialists.

1601 Tilton Rd, Suite 3, Northfield, NJ 08225

Hours:
Monday: 8:30am-5pm
Tuesday: 8:30am-5pm
Wednesday: 8:30am-5pm
Thursday: 8:30am-5pm
Friday: 8:30am-5pm