Venous ulcers of the lower extremity: Definition, epidemiology, and economic and social burdens.

Venous ulcer is a common vascular condition affecting 1% of the population, and a prevalence that increases with age. Venous ulcer is defined by the American Venous Forum as "a full-thickness defect of skin, most frequently in the ankle region, that fails to heal spontaneously and is sustained by chronic venous disease, based on venous duplex ultrasound testing." The economic and social burden of this condition is significant to both the affected individual and the health care system. The recurrent nature of venous ulcers underscore the need for treatment of the underlying pathophysiology, that is, ambulatory venous hypertension produced by venous valve reflux alone or in conjunction with venous obstruction.