[Angioarchitecture of the ileum and colon in Crohn disease]

Abstract

Vascular changes in resected bowels of Crohn's disease were examined angiographically, microangiographically, micro-preparatorily and histologically. The proper angioarchitecture of the small and the large bowel is being destroyed in the course of the ongoing inflammatory process. Dilated capillaries, destruction of the primary angioarchitecture and its replacement by an irregular, partially bizarre pattern of scar vessels with bundling of the unchanged Vasa recta as varying vessel diameters caused by obliterating secondary fibroses can be seen in advanced Crohn's disease. The angioarchitecture of the pseudo-polyps in Crohn's disease is characterized by an increased number of vessels, bizarrely bended vessels and a radial pattern of veins. All these vascular changes in Crohn's disease are to be seen as secondary changes due to the inflammatory reaction.