Oxygen transport in peripheral arterial occlusive disease: effects of calf blood dialysate

The obvious relationship of arterial blood flow to tissue hypoxia has led to the relative neglect of secondary mechanisms that might influence the functional and morphologic consequences of major vessel obstruction. Oxygen diffusion through capillaries, both locally and systemically, may be disturbed in subjects with chronic local ischemia. Follow-up data after a double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of the effect of treatment with a calf blood dialysate confirm that such treatment may alleviate the consequences of peripheral arterial obstructive disease even though there is no improvement in blood flow through the arterial system involved.