Kolari PJ, Pekanmaki K, Pohjola RT.
Transcutaneous oxygen tension in patients with post-thrombotic leg ulcers:
treatment with intermittent pneumatic compression.
Cardiovasc Res 1988 Feb;22(2):138-41

Department of Dermatology, Paijat-Hame Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland.

Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) and the effect of intermittent pneumatic
compression on tissue oxygenation were studied in 10 patients with
post-thrombotic leg ulcers. Oxygen tension was measured near the edge of the leg
ulcer before and after 60 min of intermittent compression at 50 mmHg. The control
group consisted of nine subjects with no evidence of peripheral vascular disease.
The mean TcPO2 for the controls was 59.7 (SEM2.9) mmHg and for the study group
26.2 (SEM7.0) mmHg before treatment and 42.7 (SEM6.4) mmHg after treatment (p
less than 0.005). Oxygen tension increased in nine patients in the study group.
The change in TcPO2 correlated highly significantly (r = 0.912, p less than
0.002) with the reduction of oedema and the inverse change of skin temperature.
The results suggest that intermittent pneumatic compression decreases
interstitial fluid volume and venous stasis, both of which may lead to increased
tissue oxygenation.