The dynamic properties of tissue oxygen in healing flaps

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Gottrup F. Firmin R. Hunt TK. Mathes SJ. x Surgery. [JC:vc3] 95(5):527-36, 1984 May. x Oxygen delivery to random pattern and musculocutaneous flaps was x investigated in a canine model. Oxygen tension was measured in the x proximal and distal portions of each flap and in adjacent normal skin by x means of a recently developed technique. The effect of delay techniques on x tissue oxygen tension was also examined with modifications of the same x flap model. All measurements were made over a range of inspired oxygen x concentrations (21% to 100%) both before operation and at intervals up to x 15 days after operation. Tissue oxygen tensions were significantly higher x in the musculocutaneous flaps than in random pattern flaps up to 6 days x after operation. They were higher in the proximal portions than in the x distal portions in each flap type. This difference was greater in the x random pattern flap. Delay techniques prevented the early dramatic x decrease in postoperative oxygen tension seen in random pattern flaps. x Differences in the pattern of oxygen delivery to random pattern and x musculocutaneous flaps may in part explain the greater reliability of x musculocutaneous flaps when transposed in the presence of infection. x