Effect of intermittent pneumatic compression on lower limb skin perfusion.

Transcutaneous oxygen (tcPO2) and carbon dioxide (tcPCO2) measurements were used before, during, and after intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) to assess lower limb skin perfusion in 21 healthy adult volunteers and 23 elderly patients. The temperature of the sensors was set at 44 degrees C during calibration and maintained throughout all tests. Resting tcPO2 was significantly lower (p less than 0.01) in patients than in controls. In all subjects tcPO2 decreased and tcPCO2 increased during compression. Patients showed a highly significant increase (p less than 0.001) in tcPCO2 during and after the treatment. Results of this study indicate that the symptomatic improvement, in peripheral vascular disease and wound healing following IPC, is not due to improved skin perfusion or enhancement of oxygenation and CO2 removal.