Imaging PPG for In Vivo Human Tissue Perfusion Assessment during Surgery

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Surgical Innovation
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Surgical excision is the standard for intestinal tumors, but inadequate blood flow to the anastomosis site can cause leaks.
• Real-time perfusion monitoring is crucial for preventing postoperative complications.
• Imaging photoplethysmography (iPPG) offers a non-invasive method for assessing tissue perfusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an iPPG system for real-time perfusion assessment during intestinal surgery.
• To determine iPPG's feasibility in detecting perfusion changes in intestinal microvasculature.
• To establish iPPG as a tool for monitoring organ perfusion during surgical procedures.

Main Methods:

• Feasibility study involving three patients undergoing small intestine resection.
• Acquisition of iPPG data from fully perfused, non-perfused, and anastomosis tissue.
• Implementation of strategies to minimize motion and noise during data acquisition.
• Extraction of iPPG perfusion maps from intestinal microvasculature.

Main Results:

• Successful extraction of iPPG perfusion maps from intestinal microvasculature.
• Demonstrated iPPG's capability to detect perfusion changes and perturbations in intestinal tissues.
• Validation of iPPG for monitoring tissue perfusion status during surgery.

Conclusions:

• iPPG is a feasible technology for real-time perfusion monitoring in intestinal surgery.
• iPPG can effectively detect changes in organ perfusion levels, offering valuable intraoperative feedback.
• This study provides proof of concept for iPPG's application in surgical settings to improve patient outcomes.