Pathological Study Of Portal Vein,Hepatic Artery And Hepatic Vein In The Patient With Liver Cirrhosis And Portal Hypertension

[Objective] To investigate the pathological morphology alteration of the portal vein,hepatic artery and hepatic vein in patient with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension; To study the expression of iNOS in the wall of hepatic artery and to explore the roles of iNOS in the pathogenetic mechanism of portal hypertensive vasculopathy (PHV); To provide the evidence of exploring a new therapeutic regimen of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension.[Methods ] Portal vein,liver artery and left liver vein from liver cirrhosis and portal hypertensive patients(n=24)were removed during liver transplantation and 11 specimens from normal were observed under optic microscopes. The expression of iNOS in the liver artery walls was analyzed with immunohistochemistry.[Result] (1) Pathological Changes of Vascular: In the portal veins of cirrhotic patients, we found proliferative intima, extensive thrombi adhering to the venous wall, mimicked arteriosclerosis plaques accompanied with hypertrophy of smooth muscle cells, and thickened muscle fibers of veins with increase in extracelluar matrix. The internal elastic membrane and medial elastic fibers of the hepatic artery wall were broken and degenerated. There were little changes observed in hepatic vein.(2)The expression of iNOS: Positive staining for iNOS was seen in the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells and iNOS activity was elevated compared with that of the non-cirrhotic patients (P<0. 01)[Conclusion] Portal hypertension may be complicated by hepatic arterial and portal vein vasculopathy. The splanchnic vasculopathy plays an important role in the progression of portal hypertension.