Measuring Oxygen in Wounds

Publisher Summary The most important and commonly used methods for oxygen measurement, range from microelectrode measurements of wound oxygen gradients to clinically useful measurements in humans. Studies of the role of oxygen in wound healing turn on the ability to measure oxygen: in cell and tissue culture, in animal models, and in human wounds. The development of methods for the accurate measurement of wound oxygen tension has led to studies demonstrating that activation of the sympathetic nervous system by such common perioperative stressors as hypothermia, pain, and hypovolemia decreases wound oxygen tension and impairs wound healing. Tissue oxygen measurements are relatively simple to make, particularly with current highly stable probes. Concepts related to subcutaneous wound tissue oximetry and measurement of transcutaneous oxygen in patients with ulcers of the lower extremity are also discussed.