Skin ulcer

Description A skin ulcer is an ...

Description

A skin ulcer is an open sore. The tissue below is exposed to the outside. Skin ulcers can occur on any area of the body. They more commonly appear in areas where there is prolonged pressure (buttocks, feet). Ulcers are often shallow, but may also be deep exposing bone and tendon. Certain individuals are more prone to ulcer development. They include people who have long standing diabetes, have poor circulation or are confined to bed paralysis. Poor nutrition also increases risk of skin ulcers.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on the depth of the skin ulcer and whether it is infected. They usually start with a non-painful shallow ulcer with some surrounding redness. Deeper and infected ulcers can be painful, drain fluid and have a bad odor.

Tests

Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment

Workup:
A history and physical will be performed. Blood and possibly imaging tests may be performed depending on the appearance and symptoms to determine the severity of the condition.

Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), Wound culture, X-ray

Other Specific Tests: Bone scan, CT scan, MRI

Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Vascular Surgery, Family Practice, Infectious Disease Medicine, Podiatry, Foot and Ankle Surgery

Treatment

Treatment is based on the severity of symptoms. If the ulceration is mild, it may only need special attention, wound care and regular dressing changes. A more severe ulceration may require a physician to debride the wound (remove the dead tissue) and order special dressing changes. If infection is suspected, antibiotics may be started. If there are concerns for decreased blood supply to an area, a vascular surgeon can, at times, reroute the blood supply to the area by performing a vascular bypass surgery.