Massive haemobilia due to rupture of a portal cavernoma is very rare. In our patient the cause for portal vein thrombosis remains obscure in the absence of umbilical sepsis, severe dehydration or a hypercoaguable state. Cavernous transformation has been documented even within a few days of the portal vein getting obstructed; and inflammation resulting from enteritis is a recognised cause of por...

Background Serotonin (5-HT), is a vasoactive substance involved in physiological functioning of fetoplacental blood flow and continuous modulation of smooth muscle tone in umbilical vein and arteries. Since umbilical blood vessels have been shown to be deficient in autonomic innervation, the action of local autocrine vasoactive substances (including serotonin) is of considerable importance. Alt...

Two-dimensional cell patterns prepared on substrate surfaces by an electrochemical-based biolithography method have been transferred into fibrin gels prepared in situ. Line patterns of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in the gel that was strained after the transfer formed a linear vessel-like structure within 8 days.

TREATMENT of bleeding esophageal varices remains a difficult problem. A significant number of patients with this condition are not suitable for emergency portasystemic venous shunt operations. Recent reports describe the usefulness of dilated umbilical veins in humans as an entry to the portal system for hepatoportography.1 7,8 XWhite,13 Piccone,9 and Christophersen 2 and co-workers used the um...

Experimental evidence suggests that rheumatoid synovitis may be perpetuated by the generation of reactive oxygen species during hypoxic reperfusion injury. The latter occurs because increased intra-articular pressure during exercise exceeds synovial capillary perfusion pressure, impairing blood flow. The object of this study was to establish a marker for and the mechanism of synovial hypoxic re...