Pekanmäki K. ,. Kolari J. Effects of intermittent compression treatment on skin perfusion and oxygenation in lower legs with venous ulcers. VASA, Band 16 Heft 4 / 1987 312-7 Department of Dermatology, Päijät-Häme Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland Leg ulceration contitutes a major problem among the elderly people. Some ulcers do not heal at all, and others have high recurrencerate. Numerous methods have been introducted to assess venous disorders and to predict the healing of ulcers. These methods include direct measurement of venous pressure, skin fluorescence, radionuclide angiogram, skin perfusion pressure by an isotope washout technique, and venography. However, the need for an atraumatic method is well recognised, and is especially needed for patients with leg ulceration. Recently, the use of transcutaneous oxygen tension, and photoplethysmography have been suggested to screen for venous insufficiency. Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is a new technique to measure microvascular blood flow. It has been applied widely in measurements of cutaneous blood flow. Recently, LDF has been applied to measure distal blood pressures, and it has proved to be more sensitive than strain-gauge method in at low blood flow-pressurerange. Skin perfusion pressure has been measured using photoplethysmography, and the strain-gauge technique has been used to measure finger venous opening pressure. Intermittend pneumatic compression (IPC) treatment has been used to treat lymphoedema and to prevent formation of deep vein thrombosis. IPC has also applied to treat persistent leg ulcers. A reduction of oedema by any regimen may be correlated with an improved rate of healing. However, the mechanism of the effect of IPC on the healing of ulcers has remained uncertain. The aim of present study was to evaluate the short-term effects of IPC treatment on the haemodynamics in legs with post-thrombotic ulcers. LDF was used to measure skin perfusion pressure (SPP) and venous opening pressure in the skin (SVOP) before and after IPC treatment. Comparisons were made with the changes in transcutaneous oxygen tension following IPC treatment.