A lower extremity exhibiting a brownish discoloration likely indicates which of the following?

A lower extremity exhibiting a brownish discoloration is typically indicative of venous stasis. This condition arises due to chronic venous insufficiency where blood flow is impeded in the veins, leading to increased venous pressure and eventually causing the blood to pool. As the blood accumulates in the veins over time, it can lead to the leakage of red blood cells into the surrounding tissue, resulting in hemosiderin deposition. This deposition causes the characteristic brownish discoloration of the skin, commonly seen near the ankles and lower parts of the legs.

In contrast, arterial insufficiency generally leads to pallor or cyanosis due to reduced blood flow and oxygenation, severe infections may manifest with redness, warmth, swelling, or systemic signs like fever, and lymphedema typically presents with a more uniformly swollen appearance without the characteristic brownish discoloration. Thus, the presence of brownish discoloration in the lower extremity is most accurately associated with venous stasis.