Wound Care

Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC

Vascular Surgery, Wound Care, and Podiatry located throughout Maryland and Newark, DE

Arterial, venous, and diabetic ulcers require specialist wound care to help them heal and prevent complications. If you have a wound that needs attention, the board-certified specialists at Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC, can help. They have extensive experience in treating wounds and use minimally invasive procedures to address any underlying vascular disease. The practice has locations in Bel Air, Baltimore, Towson, Westminster, Elkton, Frederick, Ellicott City, Hampstead, Abingdon, Columbia, Lutherville, Severna Park, MD, Wilmington, and Newark, DE. For expert wound care, call the nearest office or schedule a consultation online today.

Wound Care Q & A

What is wound care?

Wound care at Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC, involves the expert treatment of leg ulcers. These treatment-resistant open sores are a common cause of long-term pain and loss of function, as they can be deep, slow to heal, and vulnerable to infection.

Infected ulcers that don't receive specialist wound care may develop conditions like gangrene, where the tissues surrounding the ulcer start to die. The infection can also spread into your bones. If gangrene and infection are too advanced, the only solution may be amputation.

Receiving the proper care for your wound is vital to speed up the healing process and prevent serious complications.

What conditions might lead to a need for wound care?

The conditions that most often lead to a need for wound care services at Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC, are:

Vein disease

Vein disease is responsible for most non-healing leg ulcers.

Chronic venous insufficiency or venous reflux develops when the valves that keep blood flowing towards your heart weaken and can't perform their job properly. Blood pools in your veins, resulting in varicose veins and leg swelling. Without treatment, a gradual breakdown of the tissues in your legs occurs.

Arterial disease

Oxygen-rich blood pumps out from your heart, along with a network of arteries, to the rest of your body. Arterial diseases like atherosclerosis cause the arteries to become narrower, which restricts the flow of blood. The result is a lack of oxygen and nutrition that can lead to tissue breakdown and the development of arterial ulcers.

Diabetes

Diabetes increases your risk of ulcers by affecting circulation. It allows sugar to build up, which can damage your blood vessels and cause diabetic peripheral neuropathy leading to numbness in the feet. If you damage the skin on your lower legs or feet, you might not realize, giving ulcers a chance to develop.

Wound care might also be necessary if you have certain forms of cancer.

What kind of wound care would I need?

Wounds often need debridement to remove dead and infected tissue, followed by special dressings and possibly ointments or other preparations to help the wound heal. If you have an infected wound, you might also need antibiotics.

It's vital for the team at Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC, to treat the underlying cause of your wounds. Doing so encourages healing and prevents fresh wounds from appearing.

The wound treatment that's right for you depends on the reason you have ulcers; for instance, arterial ulcers might benefit from a procedure like a balloon angioplasty to enhance blood flow.

Compression stockings can offer help to increase blood flow if you have chronic venous insufficiency, or you might require minimally invasive treatment such as:

Sclerotherapy
ClosureFast™ radiofrequency ablation
VenaSeal™ Closure System

For prompt, expert wound care, call Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC, or book an appointment online today.

What we offer