Abstract
Blood concentrations of total bile acid (TBA), oxygen partial pressure (P02) and oxygen saturation (SO2) in the portal (PV), splenic (SpV), and superior mesenteric veins (SMV) and the superior vena cava (SVC) were studied by percutaneous transhepatic catheterization in 24 patients with esophagogastric varices secondary to liver cirrhosis. TBA in the PV was significantly higher than that in the SVC (p<0.01). There was no significant difference in TBA between the SVC and the SpV. The SMV was the main transportation route of TBA. There was no significant difference in P02 between the PV and the SVC, but SO2 in the PV was slightly higher than that in the SVC (p<0.05). P02 and SO2 in the SpV were significantly higher than in the PV, SMV and SVC (p<0.01). Percutaneous transhepatic portography demonstrated that the SpV was the main blood supply route to the esophageal varices. The variceal blood during injection sclerotherapy appeared as red as arterial blood in all patients. Therefore, we conclude that the variceal blood approximates that of the SpV in which TBA is lower but P02 and SO2 are higher than those of the PV and SMV.
