Method for skin blood flow studies in the pig.

In this methodological paper a quantitative blood flow measuring technique in porcine skin is described. The anatomy, technical preparation and surgical technique is emphasized. Baseline recordings yielded a total blood flow of 6.6 +/- 0.9 (S.E.) cc/100 g/min and an oxygen consumption of 0.16 +/- 0.02 cc/100 g/min at a dermal temperature of 35 degrees C. Approximately 75% of the experiments were successful and unsuccessful experiments were mainly due to malignant hyperthermia in the pig or inability to cannulate the vessels.