Clinical Evaluation of an Electrical Admittance Blood Flow Monitor

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical application of electrical-admittance plethysmography with venous occlusion to monitor the human-limb blood flow. An instrument using the electrical admittance tecnique for computing limb blood volume change was designed. The blood-flow rate at the onset of venous occlusion can be calculated from the initial slope of the volume change. Venous occlusion, acquisition of the admittance signal caused by the arterial inflow to the limb, its processing and display of blood volume change are carried out automatically. Less than 30 seconds are required for each cycle of this sequential procedure. This paper describes the principles and operation of this system, and five examples of its application in a healthy subject and patients.