[Color Doppler flow imaging study on the changes of collateral circulation between portal-superior vena cava and azygos vein before and after endoscopic ligation of the esophageal varix].

Color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) was performed in 35 patients with portal hypertension and esophageal varix. Thirty subjects were served as control. After esophageal variceal ligation, CDFI observed that the portal-superior vena cava collateral veins were partialy blocked. The esophageal varices disappeared. The esophageal wall thinned. Diameter of left gastric vein enlarged and blood flow velocity decreased. Azygos diameter was reduced and blood flow velocity was decreased. Although diameter of portal vein was not changed, the blood flow velocity slightly increased. The results suggest that ligation treatment can have the tendency to increase blood flow of liver and stomach, which might aggravate gastric mucosal lesion.