RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To calculate esophageal variceal wall tension by sonographic and noninvasive pressure measurements and to study the role of esophageal variceal wall tension in predicting the likelihood of esophageal variceal rupture. METHODS: In 28 patients with esophageal varices, a 20 MHz ultrasonographic transducer was used to image esophageal varices; the radius and wall thickness of the varices were calculated. Esophageal variceal pressure measurements were obtained noninvasively. The correlation between the esophageal wall tension and esophageal variceal pressure gradient were studied. RESULTS: There was a linear correlation between the esophageal wall tension and the variceal pressure gradient after curve fitting (r=0.87, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Esophageal variceal wall tension is an important parameter in predicting variceal rupture.
Asunto(s)
Várices Esofágicas y Gástricas/fisiopatología , Adulto , Várices Esofágicas y Gástricas/diagnóstico por imagen , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Manometría/métodos , Persona de Mediana Edad , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
A new device that allows noninvasive measurement of venous pressure has been invented in our laboratory and tested for its feasibility and validity. The device consists of four parts: 1. the air infusion system; 2. the pressure sensor gauge; 3. signal transducer and data processing system 4. the fixing apparatus. The correlation between noninvasive pressure and invasive pressure has been studied in vitro test on a saphenous vein model and in vitro test on dog's portal venous system. In vitro and vivo study, an excellent correlation between noninvasive pressure and invasive pressure was obtained(r = 0.99, P < 0.0005; r = 0.97, P < 0.005). These data suggest that the new device allows a noninvasive measurement of venous pressure especially for the large veins such as vena cava, venae pulmonales and esophageal varices.