Figure 2.

Each dataset was recorded on the template depicted. As laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) assesses a relatively small volume of tissue (1 mm³), data were collected at four stations per hemisternum relative to the midline sternotomy incision. Average values for each hemisternum were determined for each data collection point. Baseline values for each hemisternum and the maximum postoperative LDF recording were also noted for each hemisternum.