Transcutaneous oxygen tension in patients with post-thrombotic leg ulcers: treatment with intermittent pneumatic compression.

Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) and the effect of intermittent pneumatic compression on tissue oxygenation were studied in 10 patients with post-thrombotic leg ulcers. Oxygen tension was measured near the edge of the leg ulcer before and after 60 min of intermittent compression at 50 mmHg. The control group consisted of nine subjects with no evidence of peripheral vascular disease. The mean TcPO2 for the controls was 59.7 (SEM2.9) mmHg and for the study group 26.2 (SEM7.0) mmHg before treatment and 42.7 (SEM6.4) mmHg after treatment (p less than 0.005). Oxygen tension increased in nine patients in the study group. The change in TcPO2 correlated highly significantly (r = 0.912, p less than 0.002) with the reduction of oedema and the inverse change of skin temperature. The results suggest that intermittent pneumatic compression decreases interstitial fluid volume and venous stasis, both of which may lead to increased tissue oxygenation.