Disruption of skin perfusion following longitudinal groin incision for infrainguinal bypass surgery

Objective: file objective of our study was to investigate whether such an i ncision results in a reduction in blood flow, and therefore haemoglobin oxy gen saturation, across the wound. Design: microvascular oxygenation was measured with lightguide spectrophoto metry in 21 patients undergoing femoropopliteal or femorodistal bypass proc edures. A series of measurements were made in the groin, medial and lateral to the surface marking of the femoral artery. The mean oxygen saturation o n each side was calculated, and the contra-lateral groin was used as a cont rol. The measurements were repeated at 2 and 7 days postop Results: oxygen saturation in the skin of the operated groins was increased significantly from baseline at 2 day/s postop (f = 25.80, p < 0.001) and h ad begun to return to normal by day 7. The rise was mole mal ked on the lat eral side of the wound than on the medial (f = 12.32, p < 0.001). There was no such difference in the control groins. All wounds healed at 10 days. Conclusions: these results show a significant difference in skin oxygenatio n between the lateral and medial sides of the groin following longitudinal incision. This may contribute to the relatively high incidence of postopera tive infection in these wounds.