Capillary Refill Time Test

Capillary refill time (CRT)/Subpapillary venous plexus filling time/Blanch test:
Assumed to assess tome of cutaneous microcirculation and peripheral perfusion.
Apply pressure to skin for 2-3 seconds – note skin colour after removal of pressure.
Normal – initial pallor should turn to usual colour within 2-3 seconds.
Poor sensitivity and specificity to identify vascular disease.
Pressure to cyanotic area – if no initial pallor  irreversible changes
Highly unreliable and has not been validated . Non sensitive and not specific . Frequently misclassified normal as abnormal and vice versa (Baraff, 1993). Test should be considered as not being useful.