Angioarchitectural study of esophageal varices. With special reference to variceal rupture.

Pathomorphological and angioarchitectural characteristics of esophageal varices, mainly of ruptured varices, were studied in autopsy cases. Contrast medium was injected into the esophageal vein in 25 among 75 cases with varices, and in 4 cases without varices as a control. Out of the 75 cases with varices, rupture was confirmed in 8 cases. Ruptured points were recognized at the oral end of the longitudinal veins (these veins were called "sudare-like veins" in this study) in the lamina propria at the lower end of the esophagus in all of the 8 cases. This ruptured area was called the "critical area". By morphometric examination, dilatation of these sudare-like veins was the most obvious in severe varices, and these veins were observed to penetrate the muscularis mucosae to connect to the submucosal veins at the critical area. This area seemed to be of the greatest significance in the pathogenesis of spontaneous variceal rupture.