CALCULATION OF A NEW MEEH CONSTANT AND EXPERIMENTAL-DETERMINATION OF BURN SIZE

With advances in research techniques involving molecular biology, the need for precision in the determination of surface area is even greate r than previously. This study sets out to determine the most accurate Meeh constant, k, for a commonly used weight range of experimental rat s. The importance of a narrow weight range is appreciated and planomet ric data is presented from a series of adolescent mts that allow a new k value to be calculated. The figures presented here represent the la rgest number of animals, of a commonly used rat strain, in the most wi dely used weight range yet described. Pelts were removed from 16 anaes thetized male Sprague-Dawley rats after cervical dislocation. For each animal total body surface area (TBSA) was determined planometrically, along with premarked areas on the dorsal and ventral surfaces. Enteri ng the planometrically measured data along with the animal's weight in to the Meeh formula, a k value was obtained for each rat. Surface area s were then calculated for each animal using the mean k, 9.46, and com pared against figures obtained by using historical values for the Meeh constant. Using the new k value a method is described for the accurat e determination of total body surface area and premarked surface areas , in experimental rats of a specific weight range. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI.