HUMAN POSTBURN EDEMA MEASURED WITH THE IMPRESSION METHOD

The coarse of tissue swelling in human non-injured skin after burn inj ury was investigated with a non-invasive impression method that measur es force and tissue fluid translocation during mechanical compression of the skin. Time-dependent changes in the fluid translocation and the interstitial-pressure related to impression force were measured on 11 occasions, during 3 weeks, in seven patients postburn. A mathematical model was Fitted to the impression force curves and the parameters of the model depicted the time-dependent compartmental fluid shift in th e postburn generalized oedema. Tissue fluid translocation increased si gnificantly (P < 0.05) up to a maximum value after 6 days postburn and declined thereafter This indicated a continuous increase in the gener alized postburn oedema for the first 6 days postburn. Impression force at 3 weeks postburn was significantly lower (P < 0.001) as compared w ith the half-day postburn value, indicating an increased tissue pressu re during the first days postburn. Parameter analysis indicated a flux of water-like fluid from the vasculature to the interstitial space du ring the first 6 days postburn. The spread of the values registered be tween different measurement sites was, however, large.