Simultaneous Blood Flow Measurements by Water and Strain Gauge Plethysmography

Abstract

Determinations were made simultaneously of the blood now during reactive hyperaemia and venous emptying after venous occlusion of a segment of the calf, with 4 strain gauges placed 3 cm apart, and with a water plethysmo graph enclosing the same segment. The two methods gave practically equal plethysmograms and values for the blood flow and the venous emptying. The water pressure in the water plethysmograph reduced the flow values during hyperaemia, but improved the venous emptying. The distal gauges round the narrower part of the segment of the calf gave lower flow values than the other gauges.