Types of Chronic Wounds  Arterial Ulcers
Arterial ulcers result from an inadequate blood supply, which is almost always caused by atherosclerosis, or fatty plaque build-up in the arteries. Cholesterol or other fatty plaques settle in the arteries, which narrow and harden, resulting in poor blood circulation. Even a small scratch may not heal properly due to the compromised blood supply, and can lead to the development of an ulcer.
Testing & Treatment
The Columbia Wound Healing Center will test any person with a leg ulcer to determine the blood flow in the arteries of the leg. A simple ultrasound can reveal the blood pressure in the arteries of the leg and can serve as a valuable screening tool. To learn more about testing, please click here.
At Columbia University Medical Center, patients with decreased blood supply will be referred to our leading endovascular surgeons who have pioneered the techniques of minimally invasive revascularization of the leg. After any vascular intervention, the wound can treated with topical therapies (e.g. Santyl® (collagenase) and Iodosorb® (cadexomer iodine,)), antimicrobial creams, cell therapy (Apligraf®), or growth factors (Regranex®).
Additional treatments may include oral or IV antibiotics and debridement. Oral and IV antibiotics are specifically chosen based on the type of bacteria growing in the wound. If cellulitis (redness) or other signs of infection have not improved after a week of oral antibiotics, please contact the wound healing center.
Debridement is a surgical procedure used to accomplish three goals:
- Stimulate wound healing
- Remove non-living tissue
- Remove infected tissue
Once non-living and infected tissue has been removed, the wound is stimulated to contract and heal. To learn more about debridement, please click here.
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