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Smartphone Thermography for Lower Extremity Local Flap Perforator Mapping.
Nicolás Pereira1,2, Geoffrey G Hallock3
1Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Hospital del Trabajador, Santiago, Chile.
Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery
|February 24, 2020
Summary
Smartphone thermography offers a cost-effective method for identifying perforators crucial for lower extremity local perforator flaps. This technique enhances flap design and monitoring, improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Microsurgery
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Local perforator flaps are versatile for lower extremity reconstruction.
- Conventional perforator imaging can be costly and inaccessible.
- Smartphone thermal imaging presents a cheaper alternative for perforator identification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of smartphone thermography in identifying perforators for lower extremity local perforator flaps.
- To assess the outcomes of flaps designed and monitored using smartphone thermography.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study of 28 local perforator flaps in 25 patients over one year.
- Preoperative smartphone thermography used to identify perforator 'hot spots' for flap design.
- Intraoperative and postoperative monitoring using smartphone thermography.
Main Results:
- All flaps were based on perforators identified via smartphone thermography.
- 82.1% of flaps with predicted 100% viability survived completely.
- Smartphone thermography aided in flap design decisions and monitoring, with minor readjustments needed for some flaps.
Conclusions:
- Smartphone thermography is an inexpensive and rapid tool for identifying perforators in lower extremity flaps.
- It serves as a complementary technique for safer flap design, harvest, and monitoring.
- This method enhances the reliability of local perforator flaps for reconstruction.
