Abstract
Microdialysis can be used to detect tissue ischemia. In some experimental and clinical setups, the microdialysis catheter is subjected to external pressure, for example, during monitoring of free flaps or during pressure ulcer research. However, it is not known how external pressure affects the properties of the microdialysis membrane. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the concentration of glucose and the volume of a dialysate of a fluid under pressure. Glucose and urea (used for control) were added to plastic bags (n = 12) containing Ringer’s solution to a concentration of 10 mmol/L. A microdialysis catheter (CMA60, CMA Microdialysis AB, Solna, Sweden) was placed in a tube with free communication to the Ringer’s solution. Pressure was set to 0, 100, 200, 300, and back to 0 mmHg, respectively. Microvials were changed every 15 min, and three microvials were sampled at each pressure. The volume of dialysate as well as the concentrations of glucose and urea was measured. The results showed that the sampling volume was significantly higher at 200 and 300 mmHg (p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference at 100 mmHg. The concentrations of glucose and urea did not change significantly with increasing pressure. We conclude that microdialysis is a reliable technique for measuring concentrations of small molecules such as urea and glucose in a fluid under pressure.
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Ansari, D., Farnebo, S. & Thorfinn, J. Microdialysis for free flap monitoring is reliable when used under conditions with increased external pressure—an in vitro study. Eur J Plast Surg 32, 245–247 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-009-0357-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-009-0357-0