Electron microscopic studies of the pipe-stem sheathed vessel in the retina
Kono, T.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi 83(11): 2092-2098
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0203 PMID: 546198 Document Number: 151505
Histopathology of a clinically observed pipe-stem sheathed vessel in the retina was studied by EM. The most striking finding was a remarkable thickening of the vessel wall, particularly of the media and adventitia. The thickening was caused by increase in amounts of collagen fibrils with disappearance of smooth muscle cells in the media and invasion of cytoplasmic processes of Mueller cells in the adventitia. The vessel lumen was preserved with healthy endothelial cells. The increased collagen fibrils and infiltrated glia cells in the vessel wall might be responsible for ophthalmoscopic appearance of the pipe-stem sheathing.