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What is the difference between PAD and varicose veins?

Posted by: Dr. Thomas Wright : Category: Treatment, Varicose Veins, Veins

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Is there a difference between PAD and varicose veins, and are there tests to confirm? Also can you have Venous closure surgery if you have PAD?

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) usually refers to atherosclerosis in the walls of arteries, causing blockage which can manifest as pain in walking, fatigue in the calves with walking, poorly healing wounds, leg uclers, or severe pain in the feet.

Varicose veins and venous insufficiency are very different problems. A skilled physician usually can differentiate venous disease from arterial disease very quickly with a patient history and clinical exam. Some patients will have both arterial and venous disorders and some arterial testing may be in order.

Sometimes the arterial testing is measurement of blood pressures or flow at different levels in the legs. At other times, arterial ultrasound studies may be of value. VNUS Closure procedures and LASER procedures can be done on patients withe arterial occlusive disease as long as the blood flow is adequate for healing, but should be perfomed only after a careful evaluation of the patient for adequancy of arterial blood flow to the tissues.

- Dr. Wright

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