**2. Symptomatology**

Venous ulcer is usually localized on the inner side of the lower third of the leg, oval, circular or irregular in shape. The surface of the ulcer depends more on the degree of development than on the etiology. It is usually fibrous or covered with fresh granules that bleed heavily to the touch (**Figure 1**).

The ulcer area is thickened, pigmented and induced, together with subcutaneous adipose tissue. These changes correspond to lipodermatosclerosis, which is in fact a pre-ulcerative condition [15].

The absence of lipodermatosclerosis in the vicinity of the ulcer surface suggests that the ulcer may not be of venous origin. The presence of dilated venules, most often around the maleolus, below the ulcer surface, is also significant as a consequence of the transmission of increased venous tension through insufficient communicating veins. The presence of larger, dilated incompetent communicating veins is very significant for venous ulcers. An ulcer localized on the lateral side of the lower leg is often associated with an incompetent saphenous vein [16]. The presence of edema, lipodermatosclerosis and varicose superficial veins also supports the venous ulcer genesis. When examining ulcers, it is necessary to always examine the condition of the arterial circulation [17].

*Perspective Chapter: Diagnosis and Treatment of Venous Leg Ulcer DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105676*

**Figure 1.** *Typical venous ulceration.*
