Oxygen tensions in healing anastomosis of rabbit aorta.

Tissue oxygen tensions in healing anastomoses of rabbit abdominal aortas were measured with ultramicro-oxygen cathodes with 1 to 3 mum tips. Two days after constructing the anastomosis, the over-all profile of intramural oxygen tension was different markedly from that of normal aortic wall, showing a progressive fall of Po2 from adventitia to media and no increasing gradient from media to intima. One week after operation to intimal Po2 increased and the oxygen gradient due to diffusion from the lumen was re-established. By the end of the second week adventitial and medial oxygen tensions reached their minimum. Six weeks after operation the oxygen tensions in the anastomosis resembled those of an intact aortic wall, suggesting that the availability of oxygen to the injured area had been re-established fully.