title: Transcutaneous PO2 measurement in compound fractures.
abstract: The transcutaneous assessment of tissue oxygenation has become a useful method for evaluating microcirculatory disorders in different diseases. In this clinical experimental pilot study, the impact of compound fractures on tissue oxygenation was examined. Using a special probe placed directly into the muscle, tissue oxygenation was measured at the site of tissue injury as well as at one non-injured site within the same fractured extremity. A non-injured extremity was also measured as a control. At the injured site tissue oxygenation was significantly increased during the first 4 days after trauma compared with the non-injured extremity (40.7 +/- 1.8 mmHg versus 23.5 +/- 4.1 mmHg). At the same time the non-injured site of the fractured extremity appeared to be significantly less oxygenated compared with the non-injured extremity (13.2 +/- 2.3 mmHg versus 23.5 +/- 4.1 mmHg). After day 4 until the end of the study (day 10) a complete return to normal values was noted at both sites. In conclusion, it is most likely that, due to a change of microcirculation within the fractured extremity, the injured site is temporarily oversaturated by oxygen and this is associated with low oxygenation at the non-injured site on the same extremity. As the microcirculatory status may be important in making decisions about trauma surgery (e.g. whether or not to amputate), transcutaneous oxygen measurement is a practical and useful method in trauma care.
authors.affiliation: Unfallchirurgische Klinik, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seekamp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Griensven
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Günderoth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen