Transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcPo2) were continuously measured during open heart surgery for eighteen patients.
The Hagihara electrode were placed onthe three points of patient's skin, those were on the arm, abdomen and thigh. The tcPo2 showed no difference between arm, abdomen and thigh throughout the study. The tcPo2 was slightly lower than the arterial Po2 before E. C. C.
But during E. C. C. the tcPo2 were markedly dropped and the arterial Po2 was markedly elevated. The reason of this difference was thought to be the hypo-tissue-perfusion and hypothermia during E. C. C, and the use of bubble oxygenator.
This electrode is very useful for the detection of hypo-tissue-perfusion and for the continuous monitoring of Po2 in the intra- and post-operative severe patients.
