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The Link Between Vascular Disease and Leg Wounds
The human body contains an extensive network of blood vessels — about 60,000 miles — that delivers blood, oxygen, and other resources to each and every cell. When you have a vascular disease that affects this network, problems can arise, which is exactly the case with slow-healing wounds in your lower limbs.
To explain the connection between vascular disease and foot, ankle, and leg wounds, we turn to Dr. Thomas Rambacher and the team here at Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County. We specialize in problematic lower limb wounds and here’s what we want you to know about the role of vascular disease.
Vascular disease explained
First, let’s review what we’re referring to when we discuss vascular disease. This is a catchall term for a number of different conditions that affects the vast network of veins, arteries, and capillaries in your body.
For the purposes of this discussion, we’re going to zero in on the most common culprit associated with lower limb wounds: peripheral artery disease (PAD).
PAD, which affects about 6.5 million Americans ages 40 and older, is a condition in which there’s plaque buildup inside the arteries that feed oxygenated blood into your extremities. This buildup narrows the blood vessels, a condition called atherosclerosis, preventing a healthy flow of blood down into your legs.
What wounds need to heal
Far and away, the most critical ingredients for wound healing are blood and oxygen, both of which are delivered through your peripheral arteries.
Under normal circumstances, any wound or damage in your body relies on blood and oxygen to get through healing, which is an orderly process that includes:
- Homeostasis to prevent further damage and bleeding
- Inflammation to protect the wound and kick off healing
- Cell proliferation for rebuilding and repairs
- Remodeling, which essentially puts the finishing touches on the healing
At each of these stages, one of your body’s top priorities is to prevent invasion of harmful bacteria and infection, so it needs to get through wound healing in a timely manner.
Why wounds don’t heal when there’s vascular disease
If you have a vascular disease like PAD and the blood flow to your lower limbs is compromised, the healing process in any wound, sore, or ulcer can stall, which is a serious cause for concern.
If the wound isn’t receiving enough bloodborne resources to move through the healing process, limb-threatening infection can set in. For example, wounds need oxygen to fight off infection-causing bacteria. Wounds also benefit from the cells and growth factors that your blood delivers.
The one takeaway we want to impart is that people with a vascular disease like PAD need to be extremely careful about foot, ankle, and leg wounds. Prevention is best, and early intervention if a wound does develop is paramount.
If you have more questions about vascular disease and leg wounds, or you need care for a leg wound, please don’t hesitate to contact our office in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-832-6018 or request an appointment online today.