Assessment of flap perfusion in a porcine model with a heated laser Doppler probe

Skin and musculocutaneous flaps in a pig model were studied for their response to heating of the laser Doppler probe, both in the perfused state and in conditions of vascular occlusion. Even though heating the probe resulted in an elevation of perfusion of the flaps with no occlusions, it also increased the apparent perfusion of flaps that were occluded. The ability of flows to a augment with heating, therefore, could not be perfectly correlated with impeded vascular flow. The addition of a heated perfusion reading for assessment of vascular occlusion did not improve the accuracy of the laser Doppler for monitoring of capillary-bed perfusion to detect vascular occlusion.