Oxygen Consumption in Skin of Experimentally Burned Rats

Abstract

Burns of approximately 15% of body area were inflicted on three series of white male rats. Time-temperature combinations were employed which produced leasions resembling a superficial second degree, a deep second degree and a third degree burn respectively. Oxygen consumption was measured by Warburg technique in burned and unburned skin at intervals of one hour, one week and two weeks post-burn. In a small number of animals oxygen consumption was studied in superficial parts of skin. In most animals deep parts (including some dermal tissue and panniculus carnousus) were examined by the same technique. Oxygen consumption was higher in the deep parts of skin. In the deep parts oxygen consumption one hour postburn was depressed sharply in the deep second degree burn (90°C for 5 sec) and zero in the third degree (90°C for 20 sec). However, it was increased in the superficial second (70°C for 5 sec). This may be due to qualitative changes caused by increased vascularity or to changes in the tissue mediated by products released in burned tissue. Increase in leucocytes in traumatized tissue might also bring about such a change. Values at one and two weeks were consistent with regeneration in the deep second degree and with necrosis in the third degree burn. Unburned tissue in all series of burned animals showed early depression of values which continued throughout the first week, and were returning towards preburn levels at two weeks. A method of excising corium which markedly reduces bacterial contamination is described. This method is simple and produces reproducable results.