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How Does a Leg Ulcerate?

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Book cover Venous Disease

Abstract

Varicose veins have been recognised since the time of the Papyrus of Ebers (c. 3500 BC) and venous ulceration from the works of Hippocrates, and yet the pathogenesis of these conditions is incompletely understood. Many factors are involved in the development of venous ulceration. These probably include those which also cause varicose veins and involve both inherited and environmental components. Inherited factors have been shown to be important in the pathogenesis of varicose veins [1], but a detailed analysis of genetic factors in patients with leg ulcers has not been published. Recently an association has been shown between factor V Leiden gene defect and venous ulceration [2]. This may simply reflect the increased likelihood of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with this gene defect, or may be related in a more complex way to the development of venous ulceration.

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Coleridge-Smith, P.D. (1999). How Does a Leg Ulcerate?. In: Venous Disease. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0829-0_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0829-0_6

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