[Smartphone-based thermography for perforator localisation in microvascular breast reconstruction]

Area of Science:

• Microsurgery
• Medical Imaging
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Thermography offers non-invasive assessment of skin temperature variations.
• It can visualize blood circulation patterns near perforators, aiding microvascular flap planning.
• Thermography can enhance the quality and diversity of free flap procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of smartphone-based thermography in identifying perforator locations for DIEP flaps.
• To compare thermographic findings with computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and intraoperative anatomical data.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 10 patients undergoing 13 free DIEP flaps for breast reconstruction.
• Preoperative abdominal "hot spots" of skin circulation (perforator entrances) were analyzed using smartphone-based thermography.
• Results were compared with preoperative CTA and intraoperative findings.

Main Results:

• Thermography was successfully performed on all patients, reliably identifying perfusion areas ("hot spots").
• Perforators identified by thermography were consistently selected for DIEP flaps based on intraoperative findings.
• Thermographically identified main perforators matched those found during CTA.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone-based thermography is a simple, rapid, and non-invasive tool for detecting temperature differences.
• "Hot spots" accurately indicate perforator entrances, providing valuable information for planning perforator-based flaps.
• Thermography serves as an effective supplementary method for perforator imaging in free flap surgery.