[Quantitative determination of tissue-type plasminogen activator in varicose soleus veins]

Any thrombotic affection can involve the deep veins as well as the superficial veins of the calf. It is considered that venous thrombosis may be a result of low concentrations of the activator of plasminogen levels in the vein wall, which produces a mediocre fibrinolytic response. The concentrations of the activator of plasminogen in these veins are little knows. Immediately after amputation, for pain in the decubitus position, samples of the soleus vein (N = 9) and long saphenous vein (LSV; N = 9) were removed and frozen in liquid nitrogen. In 6 limbs operated for varicose veins, samples of the vein in the calf (VC; N = 6) were removed and frozen. As a control, we examined samples of normal veins removed from the groin of patients undergoing hernia repairs. The quantitative determination of the activator of plasminogen was achieved thanks to a homogenate technique, and the results were expressed in taps by the minute by a tissue microgram. The median activity and the range of results were: LSV 1675 (777-8119); soleus vein 6795 (2232-21 570); CV 2356 (676-4099); inguinal veins 11 221 (6717-13 410). The low concentration of activator of plasminogen in the calf veins may contribute to a mediocre fibrinolytic response in these veins. This is not likely to be the case in the soleus veins. The results may indicate a different thrombotic mechanism in the two types of veins.