Abstract
A histopathological study was made in 7 autopsy cases on sequential changes of thrombi formed within the esophageal varices after the endoscopic injection sclerotherapy by use of 5 % ethanolamine oleate and the reappraisal was made on the application of this sclerotherapy. 1) In 3 autopsy cases died within 1 month after the injection sclerotherapy, the injected esophageal varices were completely obliterated by red thrombi, in which almost no organization from the variceal walls was identifiable. 2) In one autopsy case died 2 months after the injection sclerotherapy, some of the intravariceal thrombi started organizing partially, and in the other autopsy case died 4 months after the therapy, organization of these thrombi progressed considerablly, showing complete organization of the thrombi within smaller varices, though in the thrombi within larger varices the organization remained to be partial. 3) In each of autopsy cases died in 9 months and 1 year after the injection sclerotherapy, respectively, a red thrombus was no longer identifiable in the injected varices. The varices obliterated by the organization of the thrombi were completely collapsed. 4) Recanalization within these thrombi appeared to start 4 months after the injection sclerotherapy and no evidence of recurrent esophageal varices was shown a year after the therapy. From these findings, organization of thrombi formed within esophageal varices by the present sclerotherapy appeared to progress very slowly and require about 9 months to complete. It was not probable that esophageal varices would recur through recanalized vessels in organized thrombi with at lease one year after the therapy.
