Changes in Tissue Partial Pressure of Oxygen and Carbondioxide in CO₂ Vapour Bath

Abstract

Subcutaneous and muscular (cranial tibial) tissue PO₂ and PCO₂ in CO₂ vapour bath were measured on rabbit by means of Medical Mass Spectrometry, MEDSPECT II, Chemetron, U. S. A.
Subcutaneous PO₂ increased by 30% during CO₂ vapour bath of 5L/min at 37°C and muscular PO₂ increased by 50% after CO₂ vapour bath, keeping the level at least for 2 hours.
Ideal elevation of PO₂ level was observed in vapour bath of 1L/min at 37°C for 30min.
A number of factors causing an elevation of PO₂ in tissue by topically applied CO₂ are to be thought, such as a vasodilating effect, pH-lowering, shift to right of oxygen dissociation curve and so on.
It is assumed that the PO₂ elevation together with an improved tissue perfusion could ameliorate complains of patients suffering from degenerative pathology and peripheral arterial insufficiency by stimulating patients' own potential curability.