Comparison of portal pressure with intravascular esophageal variceal pressure (IEVP) directly measured with a flexible indwelling needle.
Intravascular esophageal variceal pressure (IEVP) was measured using a flexible indwelling needle and compared with wedged hepatic venous pressure (WHVP) in 38 patients with liver cirrhosis. There was a high correlation between IEVP and WHVP; the former was lower than the latter, indicating the presence of a pressure gradient. Bleeders with a history of esophageal variceal rupture showed higher IEVP value than non-bleeders without a history of rupture, even though no difference in WHVP was observed. IEVP in the post-endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) group, even in those with endoscopic findings of large varices, was lower than that in the untreated groups. These results suggest that IEVP is a factor in the hemodynamics of patients with portal hypertension and that its measurement may be helpful in elucidating the pathophysiology of esophageal varices.
Watari
A
A
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Miyata
K
K
Kanazawa
H
H
Kobayashi
M
M
D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016558:Hemostasis, Endoscopic; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D017082:Portal Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation; D014690:Venous Pressure / Q000502:physiology