Skin oxygen tension, skin oxygen consumption, and skin blood flow measured by a tc-pO2 electrode.

By use of a combined tc-pO2 skin blood flow sensor E5250 and measurement of cutaneous and subcutaneous blood flows with the 133Xenon washout method it was demonstrated that blood flow in both tissues increases with a factor of 3-4 when the electrode temperature increases from 37 to 45 degrees C. In order to examine the influence of the gas diffusion barrier within the epidermal membrane the stratum corneum of the forearm was removed selectively by stripping with adhesive tape. Stripping increased the oxygen tension values from 10.98 +/- 0.63 kPa to 14.58 +/- 1.03 kPa, and skin oxygen consumption ranged from 0.208 to 0.251 ml O2.(100g.min)-1. The combination of a Clark type electrode with a heat sensor allows determination of oxygen delivery to the skin as well as the oxygen supplying cutaneous blood flow. The distribution of blood flow between nutritional and shunt vessels at various local temperatures remains to be clarified.