1992 Volume 34 Issue 3 Pages 530-533_1
Hemodynamics of the varices of the gastric fundus (FV) were evaluated by means of transesophageal doppler echography in five patients. Three out of five patients showed tumorous FV and 2 patients showed flat elevated FV endoscopically. All of the five patients had a large gastro-renal shunt. In 3 patients with tumorous FV, the mean blood flow rate was 478 ml/min., 345 ml/min., and 464 ml/min. in the inflow blood vessel, varicose vein at the FV, and the outflow blood vessel, respectively. These values were similer to those of the splenic or superior mesenteric veins, which were obtained by external echo-doppler examination. From these results, tumorous FV demonstrated a hyperdynamic state. In another 2 patients with flat elevated FV, the blood flow rate in the varicose vein at the FV could not be measured. However, the blood flow rate in the extragastric collateral vein, which drained into the left renal vein via a gastro-renal shunt, was similer to that of tumorous FV. From these results, we consider transesophageal doppler echogra-phy is to be a very useful technique in assessing the hemodynamics of FV and its surround-ing collateral veins.
