Abstract
The vascular supply of the wall of human vena saphena magna was qualitatively studied, by use of several morphological methods, on both normal and pathologically changed veins. The material was obtained from patients undergoing the aorto-coronary bypassing or surgery of the varices, and from cadaverous material.
Under physiological conditions the wall of vena saphena magna is supplied by delicate system of vasa vasorum, organized in a form of feeding vessels branched into an irregular loose adventitial mesh, and continuing further as a microcirculatory network supplying the two outer thirds of the media. Small local dilatations and tortuosities of adventitial veins were found on heavy varicose veins.
Slight increase of vasa vasorum growing into the innermost layer of media, was detected, but the hyperplastic intima remained avascular. In patients with recurrent varices or with vein thrombophlebitis intimal hyperplasia, degradation of media and thrombosis, were found.
Apparent massive increase of vasa vasorum, growing into the whole media, hyperplastic intima and into the organizing thrombi, was regularly observed. The increase of vasa vasorum is a part of the complex of pathophysiological reactions of the vein wall on the hypoxia developing during the most serious pathological changes, and not as the primary varicogenic factor.