Leg Wound

The leg wounds typically treated by board-certified surgeon and wound specialist Thomas Rambacher, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA, at Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County in Mission Viejo, California, aren’t the type that heal naturally . Dr. Rambacher specializes in vascular leg wounds that need professional treatment to heal and prevent complications like infections, gangrene, and amputation. Vascular diseases account for 54% of non-traumatic amputations, but Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County can save your leg with expert wound care. Call the office or use online booking to schedule an appointment for leg wound treatment.

How might I end up with a leg wound?

Dr. Rambacher specializes in treating dangerous leg wounds that account for more than half of all surgical amputations. These wounds (ulcers) develop in your lower leg when an underlying problem disrupts circulation in your leg’s veins or arteries.

Unfortunately, these leg wounds don’t heal with at-home care. If you don’t seek medical care, the ulcers keep enlarging, creating large wounds that are vulnerable to serious infections and gangrene.

What medical conditions cause non-healing leg wounds?

Though diabetes may cause non-healing leg wounds, diabetic ulcers are more likely to affect blood vessels in your foot. Dr. Rambacher treats leg wounds caused by two other vascular diseases:

Venous ulcers (the most common leg wounds)

Venous ulcers develop when damaged valves let blood accumulate in a leg vein. This condition, chronic venous insufficiency, increases the blood pressure in your lower leg vein.

High venous pressure pushes fluids out of the vein and into the surrounding tissues. The leaking fluids damage your skin, and a leg wound (ulcer) develops.

Arterial ulcers

Arterial ulcers develop if you have a clogged artery in your leg (peripheral artery disease). Without treatment, the clog enlarges and blocks blood from flowing through the artery. The loss of blood means some tissues can’t get enough oxygen, resulting in tissue death and a leg wound.

Will I have other symptoms with my leg wound?

There’s a good chance you’ll have telltale signs of the underlying disease before your leg wound appears. For example, you may experience:

• Swollen legs
• Leg pain or cramping
• Leg heaviness or tiredness
• Thickened skin
• Itchy, red rash (resembling eczema)
• Reddish-brown skin (hyperpigmentation)

Varicose veins are often the earliest sign of venous disease, while leg pain when walking is one of the first symptoms of clogged arteries.

How are leg wounds treated?

Dr. Rambacher offers skilled wound care, but you also need to have your vein or artery disease treated. While Dr. Rambacher provides treatments promoting wound healing, you’ll keep developing new ulcers if the underlying vascular disease isn’t treated.

Your personalized leg wound treatment may include one or more of the following:

• Compression stockings
• Wound cleaning
• Wound debridement (procedure to remove infection and dead tissues)
• Advanced dressings
• Topical or oral antibiotics
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Restorative cell therapy
• Surgical wound care
• Laser therapy
• Skin grafting

Call Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County today or connect online to request an appointment for leg wound care.