MEASUREMENT OF PERIPHERAL VENOUS OXYGEN-SATURATION IN THE LEG USING NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

Background: It has been suggested that poor healing of wounds may be a ssociated with reduced tissue oxygenation. A non-invasive method of as sessing peripheral venous oxygenation has been investigated. Method: C hanges in oxyhaemoglobin (O(2)Hb), deoxy haemoglobin (HHb), oxidized c ytochrome aa(3) (cyt aa(3)) and total haemoglobin (tHb) were monitored in the left lower leg of seven healthy volunteers. A short period of venous occlusion was achieved by rapidly inflating a sphygmomanometer cuff placed around the leg to 60 mmHg. The changes in O(2)Hb and tHb, with respect to the baseline readings, were evaluated. PSvO(2) was cal culated from (Delta O(2)Hb/Delta tHb) x 100%. Results: From 17 sets of readings on the seven volunteers the median PSvO(2) calculated was 64 % (range 50-86%). Conclusion: This method appears to be a simple means of evaluating PSvO(2). A change in cyt aa(3) was often seen associate d with the venous occlusion.