On the Clinical Use of Pulse Plethysmography of the Calf: I. Methodological Considerations and Values in Subjects without Symptoms of Arterial Disease

Normal values for flow and volume pulsations in the calves of 41 healthy subjects aged 40–70 years were obtained with an air-filled plethysmograph provided with a pneumotachograph as a sensing device (pulse plethysmo graph). The influence on the flow and volume pulsations measured of different conditions of stasis applied to the examined limb and of age, heart rate, and blood pressure of the subject was investigated. Used as a venous occlusion plethysmograph the pulse plethysmograph gave about the same perfusion value as a water-filled plethysmograph.