Skin oxygen tension as a function of imposed skin pressure: implication for decubitus ulcer formation.
Pressure is a crucial factor in the formation of decubitus ulcers. To elucidate the effect of imposed skin pressure, a new cutaneous oxygen sensor was used to measure the skin oxygen tension under increasing pressure upon skin tissue at "hard sites" (bony prominences) and at "soft sites" (muscle-padded areas). At hard sites the skin oxygen tension fell rapidly under increasing pressure (y = 90.9--0.39. X; r = 0.98) from an initial value of 86.4 +/- 10.6 to 20.2 +/- 12.1 mm Hg under an imposed skin pressure load of 175 gm/cm 2. At soft sites a pressure load of 175 gm/cm 2 decreased the skin oxygen tension only from 82.9 +/- 5.8 to 71.4 +/- 10.0 mm Hg. These results may explain why hard sites (bony prominences) are preferential areas for decubitus ulcer formation.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010313:Partial Pressure; D011312:Pressure; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena
D010100:Oxygen