Measurement of skin blood flow in delayed deltopectoral flaps, using local clearance of 133Xenon.

A study was made to determine the skin blood flow at the deltoid region in 89 cases, and the regional blood flow of delayed deltopectoral flaps, using the local clearance of 133Xe. The change in the skin blood flow, before and after a delay procedure of the deltopectoral flap, was measured in 27 patients--and the following results were obtained. (1) There was a linear tendency to a decreasing flow, one found to be statistically significant, with increasing age of the patient. (2) A significant correlation was found between the skin blood flow and the blood flow of the subcutaneous tissue. (3) The blood flow after we raised one side of a deltopectoral flap and lined it with a split-skin graft was higher than that found after a U-shaped undermining and not lining a flap. (4) The rate of successful transfer of a deltopectoral flap was found to be low when the 133Xe clearance rate was less than 0.07.