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Korotkoff sound: the cavitation hypothesis
1Pavillon F. Rabelais, Hôpital René Muret-Bigottini, AP-HP Hôpitaux de Paris, Sevran, France.
Medical Hypotheses
|August 6, 2000
Summary
The origin of Korotkoff sounds, used in blood pressure measurement, was identified as cavitation. This phenomenon occurs when blood vaporizes and bubbles collapse, releasing energy as noise during cuff pressure release.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Acoustics
Background:
- The auscultatory method is standard for blood pressure measurement.
- The precise origin of Korotkoff sounds remains debated in scientific literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and elucidate the biophysical origin of Korotkoff sounds.
- To identify the mechanism generating the audible signal during auscultatory blood pressure measurement.
Main Methods:
- Utilized pulsed Doppler examination in ten healthy subjects during sphygmomanometer cuff deflation.
- Developed a simulated brachial artery device to replicate the observed high-amplitude signal.
Main Results:
- Recorded a reproducible, high-amplitude signal simultaneous with Korotkoff sounds.
- Observed that this signal precedes the systolic wave and is reproducible in a simulated artery.
- Attributed the signal to blood cavitation and subsequent bubble collapse.
Conclusions:
- Korotkoff sounds are generated by the cavitation phenomenon in the brachial artery.
- Blood vaporization and bubble collapse upon cuff pressure release produce the audible noise and detectable signal.