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Clinical Limitations and Advantages of Transcutaneous Oxygen Electrodes
Author(s) -
Peabody J. L.,
Willis M. M.,
Gregory G. A.,
Tooley W. H.,
Lucey J. F.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1978.tb01397.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hematocrit , arterial oxygen tension , anesthesia , hypothermia , perfusion , peripheral , oxygen tension , oxygen , surgery , cardiology , lung , chemistry , organic chemistry
We investigated the clinical use and limitations of the transcutaneous oxygen electrode described by Huch, Lübbers and Huch in 30 sick infants. One hundred and fifty‐nine measurements of arterial oxygen tension (Pa o2 ) and transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcP o2 ) were made. During the comparisons, arterial blood pressures, heart rate and thoracic impedance were continuously recorded, skin axillary and environmental temperatures, haematocrit and skin thickness were measured and the degree of peripheral perfusion noted. Despite a wide range of these variables, values of tcP o2 and Pa o2 were similar (slope 0.963). Two groups of infants were identified in whom tcP o2 was lower than Pa o2. These were infants receiving an intravascular infusion of tolazoline and infants with mean arterial blood pressures more than 2.5 s.d. below the predicted average value. Both of these situations represent extreme alterations in peripheral blood flow and give important information regarding the limitations of the method. Less extreme alterations in flow caused by mild hypotension, hypothermia, anaemia, radiant warmers, and bilirubin lights did not adversely affect the transcutaneous P o2 ‐arterial P o2 correlation. Advantages of transcutaneous oxygen monitoring over more conventional monitoring methods were assessed. We conclude that the transcutaneous oxygen electrode is safe, is easy to use, has few limitations and provides data which can help improve the management of most sick infants.