Measurement of limb blood flow by electrical impedance plethysmography.

Limb blood flow has been measured in 72 individuals by the noninvasive technique of electrical impedance plethysmography. Venous occlusion was not used. Blood flow was measured in 230 limbs in which 195 limbs were either in normal individuals or the clinically normal limbs of patients (normal limbs). Thirty-five limbs were clinically abnormal. Measurements on limbs with clinical abnormalities showed that blood flow values often fell within the limits of the normal range. However 3 cases of known vascular injury and 2 cases studied after hand surgery under tourniquet showed lowered blood flow values by comparison with the unaffected limb. A simultaneously recorded range of cardiac output and stroke volume measurements gave similar results to those obtained in a previous, unconnected study.