Venous Leg Ulcer: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

• General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; furthermore:
  • Inspection (viewing) of skin [leading symptoms:
    • Ulceration (ulcer) on altered skin.
    • Hyperpigmentation
    • Eczema
    • Dermatosclerosis (hardened, atrophic skin)
    • Atrophy blanche (whitish discoloration of the skin; often painful)]
  • Elicitation of pulse status (bds. palpation (palpation) of lower extremity pulses (femoral artery, popliteal artery, dorsalis pedis artery, and posterior tibial artery): arterial ulcers [weak/absent foot pulses].
• Dermatological examination [due todifferential diagnosis: decubital ulcers (pressure ulcers) in immobilization] [due topossible sequelae: Hypodermitis (subcutaneous inflammation), recurrent ulcus cruris venosum]
• Health check

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.