[Correlation between the measurement of PO2 by percutaneous route and the measurement of cutaneous irrigation by thermal clearance in the foot in chronic obliterative arteriopathies of the lower limbs].

Possible influence of skin circulation in percutaneous determination of pedal TcPO2 of patients with lower limbs arteriopathy was investigated. Findings demonstrated close correlation between TcPO2 and the morphology of the pulsatile signal on digital plethysmography in hyperemia, and the degree of lower limbs ischemia, particularly during the stage of permanent ischemia. Histograms of skin irrigation values measured by thermal clearance were similar in normal subjects and patients with lower limbs arteriopathy. Values for skin irrigation measured in this way failed to show linear correlations with TcPO2 values. These findings suggest that TcPO2 values reflect any global tissue ischemia at the measurement site and not cutaneous vascularization alone.