Colour duplex ultrasonography in the rational management of chronic venous leg ulcers

Abstract

Colour duplex ultrasonographic imaging has largely replaced venography in the assessment of lower-limb venous disorders. This is a study of the use of duplex in the management of patients with chronic venous ulceration in community ulcer clinics. Patients with chronic leg ulceration and an ankle: brachial pressure index of 0·85 or greater were studied. Assessment of venous competence in both the deep and superficial systems of the affected and unaffected legs was performed using colour venous duplex imaging. Reflux was defined as reverse flow for greater than 1 s after manual calf compression. One hundred consecutive patients were assessed over 15 months. Of 111 ulcerated legs, 96 had active ulceration, while 15 had been ulcerated within the previous 6 months. Fifty-seven (51 per cent) of the 111 ulcerated legs had superficial incompetence alone (88 per cent long saphenous system or its perforators, 12 per cent short saphenous system). Six legs (5 per cent) had isolated deep venous incompetence. Forty-two legs had mixed superficial and deep venous reflux; 22 of these had undergone previous venous surgery. Colour venous duplex assessment demonstrated superficial venous disease in approximately half of limbs with chronic leg ulceration. Venous dysfunction in these patients is potentially curable by surgery.