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C
A P P E N D I X
C
C
Technical
Aspects
Blood fl ow in the skin performs an essential role in the regulation of the
metabolic, hemodynamic and thermal state of the individual. Despite
the fact that the skin is the body's largest and most accessible organ, the
measurement of cutaneous microcirculatory blood perfusion has until
quite recently proved a formidable task.
By far the largest proportion of the body's dermal vasculature is involved
in regulating body temperature and controlling systemic blood pressure.
A smaller but signifi cant proportion of the bulk skin blood perfusion also
fulfi ls the skin's metabolic requirements. It is the upper dermis (i.e the
fi rst 1.5–4.0 mm of tissue, depending on the site) that is chiefl y responsible
for providing a nutritional supply of blood to the avascular epidermis, the
integrity of which is essential for the well-being of the individual. Th e
degree of blood cell perfusion in this region of the microvascular tree,
over both long and short time periods, can provide a reliable indicator
of peripheral vascular disease or injury. Reduction or even complete
occlusion of blood perfusion in the microcirculatory blood vessels can
oft en be attributed to a variety of cutaneous vascularization disorders.
31
Appendix C
Technical Aspects
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