ESTABLISHMENT OF REFERENCE PRESSURE OF TRANSCUTANEOUS OXYGEN FOR THE COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF PROBLEM WOUNDS

Seventy-two healthy males and females serially breathed air and 100% O -2 at 1.0 atm abs (1.01 bar; AIR and O2, respectively), then 100% O-2 at 2.36 atm abs (2.39 bar, HBO) to establish reference values for ches t (CH), leg (LG), and foot (FT) Ptc(O2). Subjects sequentially a) rest ed supine with legs extended (baseline); b) elevated their monitored l eg; c) returned to supine/extended position; d) assumed a seated, both legs dependent posture; and e) returned to supine/extended position. LG and FT Ptc(O2) decreased during leg elevation and increased when bo th legs were dependent during AIR, O2, and HBO (P < 0.0001, respective ly). LG Pt-CO2 of females exceeded that for males in all conditions (P < 0.05 to P < 0.0001). Baseline CH Ptc(O2) also was greater than LG P tc(O2) for all subjects in all conditions (P < 0.01 to P < 0.0001) and greater than FT Ptc(O2) for all conditions (P < 0.01 to P < 0.0001) e xcept AIR. We conclude that: a) position and hyperoxygenation of an ex tremity significantly affect Ptc(O2); b) Ptc(O2) does not follow a dec reasing CH to FT gradient in all conditions; c) a gender difference ex ists for LG Ptc(O2); and d) Ptc(O2) reference data are established for the comparative evaluation and clinical management of problem wounds.