Objective To investigate the change of vasa vasorum in vessel wall of varicose vein of the lower extre-mity. Methods Thirty-two patients with varicose vein of the lower extremity were collected， in which of 12 patients with simple varicose veins （varicose group）， 9 patients with recurrent varicose veins （recurrent group）， 11 patients withthrombophlebitis of varicose vein （thrombophlebitis group）， 9 patients with normal venous tissue as control group. HE staining was performed to observe the distribution of vasa vasorum and detect the vasa vasorum density. Results The increasing vasa vasorums were observed in the adventitia and media， but few was observed in the intima in the varicose， recurrent， and thrombophlebitis groups. The distribution of vasa vasorum was in the adventitia in the control group. The vasa vasorum densities （/mm2） in the varicose， recurrent， and thrombophlebitis groups （5.65±1.45，6.20±1.73， and 5.94±1.63， respectively） were greater than those in the control group （2.87±0.54）， the difference wasstatistically significant （P＜0.05）， but there was no significant difference of the vasa vasorum density among the varicosevein， recurrent， and thrombophlebitis groups （P＞0.05）. Conclusion Change of vasa vasorum is an important pathol-gical change with the nosogenis of varicose vein of the lower extremity.
ObjectiveTo observe the ultrastructural changes of vasa vasorum endothelial cells in the walls of the great saphenous vein and splenic vein, and to evaluate the effect of high hydrostatic pressure and hypoxia upon vasa vasorum endothelial cells. MethodsThirty-four varicose great saphenous vein samples and splenic vein samples with portal hypertension were obtained, and the same number of normal great saphenous vein and splenic vein were used as the control groups. Semi-thin sections stained with HE staining vasa vasorum of the adventitia in great saphenous vein and splenic vein were observed for light microscopy. Samples were made into ultrathin-slices again. The ultrastructural changes of endothelial cells were observed under transmission electron microscopy. ResultsIn varicose great saphenous veins and diseased splenic veins, the nuclear architecture of endothelial cells in vasa vasorum were integrity and the distribution of chromatin were normal. In some mitochondria, the trachychromatic groundplasm, undefined and ruptured cristae were found. ConclusionUnder high hydrostatic pressure and hypoxia conditions, the ultrastructure of vasa vasorum endothelial cells between the great saphenous vein and the splenic vein may appear remodeling phenomenon, and both changes are similar.