[Pathologic anatomy of white atrophy]

Milian's respectively aetiological and pathogenic hypotheses, based on the infectious origin of this disease, such as tuberculosis or syphilis, have not been confirmed. In almost every case there has proved to be chronic venous deficiency. The histomorphological deterioration shows, as well as the characteristic signs of cutaneous atrophy, the vessel affection developing towards dilation, but also the parietal processes moving towards obliteration. These processes do not correspond to vasculitis, as described by Ruiter. For this reason, we do not go along with those authors associating these histological deteriorations with vasculitis. And we therefore justify our claim that white atrophy cannot be considered as an angiolopathy.