title: Human postburn oedema measured with the impression method.
abstract: The course of tissue swelling in human non-injured skin after burn injury was investigated with a non-invasive impression method that measures force and tissue fluid translocation during mechanical compression of the skin. Time-dependent changes in the fluid translocation and the interstitial-pressure related to impression force were measured on 11 occasions, during 3 weeks, in seven patients postburn. A mathematical model was fitted to the impression force curves and the parameters of the model depicted the time-dependent compartmental fluid shift in the postburn generalized oedema. Tissue fluid translocation increased significantly (P < 0.05) up to a maximum value after 6 days postburn and declined thereafter. This indicated a continuous increase in the generalized postburn oedema for the first 6 days postburn. Impression force at 3 weeks postburn was significantly lower (P < 0.001) as compared with the half-day postburn value, indicating an increased tissue pressure during the first days postburn. Parameter analysis indicated a flux of water-like fluid from the vasculature to the interstitial space during the first 6 days postburn. The spread of the values registered between different measurement sites was, however, large.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Lindahl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zdolsek
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Angquist
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011312:Pressure; D013997:Time Factors