The effect of temperature on blood flow in island and free skin flaps: an experimental study.

Skin blood flow is especially susceptible to temperature change, as the skin has an important role in body thermoregulation. The effect of temperature on blood flow in an experimental skin flap model in the dog has been measured using an electromagnetic flowmeter. the flap blood flow varied directly with temperature. In the range 22 degrees C-38 degrees C, this relationship was linear, the increase in the flap blood flow being 3.41% per degree Celsius. However, outside this temperature range the change was much greater.