Effective Leg Ulcer Treatment

Leg Ulcer Treatment Information

We specialise in liberating leg ulcer sufferers from the misery of bandages, dressings and uncomfortable bindings!

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued clear clinical guidelines in July 2013 that anyone with symptomatic varicose veins, a healed Leg Ulcer or an active Leg Ulcer should be referred for treatment at a specialist vascular clinic.

Traditionally, under NHS treatment, many people with Leg Ulcers have suffered needlessly from being condemned to the chore and discomfort of constant dressings and compression leg bindings. However, at The Whiteley Clinic, these outdated methods have been replaced by the most effective, most up-to-date and least surgically invasive procedures, often performed under local anaesthetic. And in a recent paper published in the peer-reviewed international medical journal ‘Phlebology’, it was demonstrated that The Whiteley Clinic has achieved an 85% cure rate for patients presenting with Leg Ulcers over the last 12 years.

This does not mean that our Leg Ulcer treatment follows a set pattern. Every patient is unique and before decisions are made, each person will be assessed by one of The Whiteley Clinic specialists. There may be cases where a cure is not possible; but for all patients, the best path to successful treatment is early investigation and diagnosis of the underlying conditions by our specialist ultrasound technicians using the best equipment available.

At The Whiteley Clinic, our own specialist ultrasound technicians follow The Whiteley Protocol®, an internationally recognised system for investigation and optimal treatment, and it is widely acknowledged that they are usually more experienced than consultants in this field, often going on to achieve full cures in people who have been told their Leg Ulcers are incurable.

The Procedure

Following an assessment by a The Whiteley Clinic trained Doctor specialising in Leg Ulcer treatment, patients will then be referred to a series of recommended tests. This will often be in the form of Duplex Ultrasound of veins and arteries, which may be accompanied by a Photoplethysmography scan (PPG), perhaps followed by further tests such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), venography, CT or MRI scanning.

The specialist will then discuss the results in depth, along with the best treatment options, with relatives or friends who will be involved in post-operative care invited to sit in on the discussion.

Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) – a method of treating the underlying cause of Leg Ulcers using laser under local anaesthetic – is suitable for many patients.

Non-surgical options can accompany EVLA treatment, including manual lymphatic drainage.

The Whiteley Clinic does NOT recommend:

• Patients with leg ulcers should not be condemned to dressings and compression bandages without assessment by a specialist, or without a Venous Duplex Ultrasound scan performed by a skilled scientist. They can carry out an extended scan of all the veins of the leg, often in about 30 minutes.
• Patients with skin changes at the ankle should NOT be given creams (particularly steroid creams) before venous causes have been excluded. As noted above, an in-depth scan and an assessment by a specialist doctor should always be performed as an initial step.
• Patients with skin changes at the ankle, or with varicose veins, should NOT be given long-term support stockings unless a compelling reason has been discovered to the contrary.
• Patients with varicose veins should NOT be told that this is a cosmetic problem, and ‘fobbed off’ with the excuse that they should wait until there is a more significant problem before having anything done. There is clear evidence that up to 6% of all patients with varicose veins go on to develop Leg Ulcers in the absence of preventative assessment and/or treatment.

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