Lipodermatosclerosis (LDS)
What is Lipodermatosclerosis (LDS)?
The word lipodermatosclerosis is very descriptive of the condition.
“Lipo” means fat, “Dermato” means skin, and “Sclerosis” means hardening. Hence, lipodermatosclerosis literally means a hardening of the skin and underlying fat. These changes occur due to inflammation.
Lipodermatosclerosis is a medical condition that affects the lower legs between ankle and calf muscles. It is basically an inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the lower leg.
The skin becomes discoloured due to inflammation. It can be pink or red when there is active inflammation, or a light or dark brown colour (haemosiderin) if the condition has been present for longer.
The underlying tissue becomes harder due to the inflammation.
What causes lipodermatosclerosis (LDS)?
The most common cause of lipodermatosclerosis is venous reflux due to varicose veins, or “hidden varicose veins.”
The constant reflux of blood falling down varicose veins, or hidden varicose veins, causes inflammation just above the ankle. If a reflux is not treated (i.e., the varicose veins are not treated), then over time the inflammation increases. Slowly, this increases the damage. The skin and subcutaneous fat around the ankle.
This can manifest in several different ways, but one of the commonest is lipodermatosclerosis.
What is the treatment for lipodermatosclerosis (LDS)?
The best way to treat lipodermatosclerosis (LDS) is to treat the underlying venous reflux. This means treatment of the varicose veins, or “hidden varicose veins.” These may be refluxing saphenous veins, incompetent perforating veins, or pelvic veins.
It is essential to have a high-resolution venous duplex ultrasound scan performed by a properly trained vascular technologist who looks for all of the different causes for venous reflux.
Treatment is usually by endovenous surgery to the saphenous veins and Ultrasound Guided Foam Sclerotherapy for incompetent perforators.
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Treatments for Lipodermatosclerosis
Venaseal Glue Treatment
- Can be performed in the office/outpatient environment
- Is relatively painless?
- Very little bruising of the leg
- Minimal local anaesthetic required.
- Return to work within 24 hours.
Radiofrequency Vein Ablation
- Gold standard treatment of varicose veins (along with endovenous laser ablation)
- Keyhole treatment
- Relatively painless and return to work within 24 hours
- Useful in treating primary varicose veins
Closure Treatment
- Same day procedure
- Fast recovery – resuming normal activities within 1-2 days
- Minimal or no scarring
EndoVenous Laser Ablation
- Keyhole treatment
- All varicose vein sizes can be treated.
- Relatively painless with return to work within 24 hours
- Useful in treating primary and secondary varicose veins
Ultrasound – Guided Foam Sclerotherapy
- Keyhole treatment
- Useful in treating recurrent varicose veins
- Outpatient/office based treatment
- Compliments: laser and radio frequency treatment of varicose veins
- Relatively cheap
Vein Check-up
- At the Vein and Foot Clinic, we offer an early detection service for the potential risk of developing thread veins, varicose veins, pelvic varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Conditions We Treat
- Varicose veins
- Superficial Venous Thrombosis Phlebitis
- Thread / spider veins
- Swollen leg
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- May turners syndrome
- Varicose veins in pregnancy
- Varicose veins in obese patients
- Restless leg syndrome
- Varicose veins of the testicles
- Recurrent Varicose Veins
- Hidden Varicose Veins
- Hemosiderin Brown Stains
- Lipo dermatosclerosis (LDS)
- Venous Eczema
- Leg Ulcers
- Vaginal and Vulval Varicose Veins
- Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS)
