The surgical management of intractable venous ulceration in the lower limbs: excision, decompression of the limb and split-skin grafting.

Fourteen patients with severe chronic venous ulceration and constricted lower limbs underwent an operation to release the constriction and to ligate the perforating veins in the calf. At 4-year follow-up 6 patients remained healed. Two further patients were healed when last seen 3 years and 19 months after surgery. The operation is suggested as a salvage procedure for selected patients, when all other methods of treatment have failed.