Tissue gases in human hypertrophic burn scars.

The partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide have been measured in hypertrophic scars in burned patients, using mass spectroscopy. The pO2 in scar tissue was significantly depressed in comparison to the pO2 in normal dermis (a decrease of 13.1 +/- 2.9 mm Hg). The pCO2 was noted to be increased in the scar tissue (2.6 +/- 1.6 mm Hg). The possible significance of these findings is discussed.