The use of transcutaneous oxygen electrodes in intensive therapy

The use of transcutaneous monitoring of the PO2 in patients in an adult intensive therapy unit has been found to be a simple and reliable procedure. The electrodes were heated to 44 degrees C in order to obtain a near maximal response. In individual patients, the transcutaneous reading may be up to 20 per cent different from the arterial value. However, the difference is reproducible for a given patient and does not detract from the value of the technique in following trends. The ease of use of the non-invasive transcutaneous technique has brought to light numerous instances of marked fluctuations occurring in patients oxygen tensions.