A topical metabolic inhibitor to improve transcutaneous estimation of arterial oxygen tension in adults.

The use of Eugenol as a contact medium in the measurement of transcutaneous oxygen (tcPO2) partially inhibits the metabolism in the underlying tissue, thereby reducing oxygen consumption and increasing tcPO2. Oxygen consumption in the tissue can be estimated from the rate at which tcPO2 falls when blood flow is occluded, and blood flow in the tissue can be estimated from the rate at which tcPO2 increases when the subject changes from breathing air to pure oxygen. Both these measurements have been made with Eugenol and distilled water as contact media. From these measurements it has proved possible to estimate the arterial oxygen tension (aPO2) of healthy adults at a relatively low sensor temperature (43 degrees C).