PARAUMBILICAL VENOUS COLLATERAL CIRCULATIONS - COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASOUND FEATURES

Using Color Doppler ultrasonography to trace the dilated paraumbilical vein to its connection with systemic veins in 27 patients, we have fo und four major pathways: In type 1 (63%), the vein connected with the external iliac vein via the inferior epigastric vein. In type 2 (3.7%) , the vein connected with the saphenous vein via the superficial epiga stric vein. In type 3 (22.2%), the vein connected with the internal th oracic vein via the superior epigastric vein. Type 4 (11.1%) is a comb ination of types 1 and 2. A frank caput medusa was not seen, but occul t caput medusae were seen in two patients. Turbulent flow was seen at the junction between inferior epigastric and external iliac veins, par aumbilical and superficial epigastric veins, and superficial epigastri c and saphenous veins in some patients. Color Doppler ultrasonography is a convenient, noninvasive method for determining the course and ass ociated hemodynamic changes in the paraumbilical collateral circulatio n. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.