PERFUSION IMAGING OF SKIN ISLAND FLAP BLOOD-FLOW BY A SCANNING LASER-DOPPLER TECHNIQUE

Conventional laser-Doppler perfusion measurements can only obtain info rmation from a single site, Since superficial blood flow is heterogene ous, this is a serious limitation, particularly in studies of methods to improve skin flap survival, A scanning laser-Doppler instrument has been developed which provides both an image and quantitative informat ion about perfusion of the superficial tissue, We have evaluated this instrument in a circumflex iliac artery island flap model in the pig, The validity of the model was demonstrated by fluorescein dye injectio n and histology. Elevation of flaps was found to increase proximal fla p blood flow but to decrease it in the distal portion, In flaps subjec ted to arterial ischaemia (9 h) and reperfusion we found an early incr ease in proximal flow, which gradually extended distally over the firs t 40 to 60 min. 16 h later, flow had declined, compatible with reperfu sion damage to the vasculature. We suggest that perfusion imaging may be a valuable technique for investigating the mechanisms and extent of reperfusion injury.