Skin blood flow with elastic compressive extravehicular activity space suit.
During extravehicular activity (EVA), current space suits are pressurized with 100% oxygen at approximately 222 mmHg. A tight elastic garment, or mechanical counter pressure (MCP) suit that generates pressure by compression, may have several advantages over current space suit technology. In this study, we investigated local microcirculatory effects produced with negative ambient pressure with an MCP sleeve. The MCP glove and sleeve generated pressures similar to the current space suit. MCP remained constant during negative pressure due to unchanged elasticity of the material. Decreased skin capillary blood flow and temperature during MCP compression was counteracted by greater negative pressure or a smaller pressure differential.
Tanaka
Kunihiko
K
Gifu University, School of Medicine, Department of Physiology.
Gotoh
Taro M
TM
Morita
Hironobu
H
Hargens
Alan R
AR
D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm; D004867:Equipment Design; D018478:Extravehicular Activity; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019442:Space Suits