Continuous comparison of in vitro and in vivo calibrated transcutaneous oxygen tension with arterial oxygen tension in infants.

Transcutaneous PO2 simultaneously recorded by Drager and Radiometer electrodes on the abdominal skin was compared for six-hour periods with aortic PaO2 recorded by a Searle intravascular oxygen electrode. Ten newborn infants with serious respiratory illnesses, six of whom needed mechanical ventilation, were studied. The skin electrodes were heated to 44 degrees C and calibrated first in vitro, and then in vivo against the infant's PaO2. The results showed that 1) after in vivo calibration both skin electrodes gave an accurate estimate of PaO2 for six hours without resiting of the electrodes; 2) the Radiometer electrode gave as satisfactory an estimate of PaO2 after in vitro as after in vivo calibration; 3) the Drager electrode gave a significantly less accurate estimate of PaO2 after in vitro than after in vivo calibration; 4) no evidence suggesting that peripheral vasoconstriction interfered with the accuracy of estimation of PaO2 by the skin electrodes was found.