Effect of fractionated heating on the blood flow in normal tissues.

The changes in blood flow in the skin and muscle of rat by single, two or six heatings, were measured with the radioactive microsphere method. The blood flow rose continuously during the 2 h heatings at temperatures up to 43.0 degrees C and 44.0 degrees C in the skin and muscle, respectively. When heated at higher temperatures, the blood flow increased and then decreased. When heated twice at 43.5 degrees C for 1 h each, the magnitude of the increase in blood flow by the second heating varied depending on the time interval between the two heatings; e.g., the second heating on the 14th day after the first heating induced an increase in blood flow much greater than that by the first heating. When the heating at 43.5 degrees C for 1 h was repeated at intervals of five days, the second and third heatings were as effective as the first heating in increasing the skin blood flow. In the muscle, the second and third heatings were 2-3-fold more effective than the first heating in raising the blood flow. The heat-induced increase in blood flow in the skin and muscle gradually diminished from the fourth heating. The tissue temperature varied considerably during heating with a water bath at a constant temperature, due probably to the changes in blood flow.