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J Reconstr Microsurg 2023; 39(04): 295-300
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1755614
Original Article

Thermography Supported Color Duplex Ultrasound Accelerates ALT Perforator Imaging

Claudius Illg 
1   Department of Hand, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
,
Sabrina Krauss
1   Department of Hand, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
,
Katarzyna Rachunek
1   Department of Hand, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
,
Johannes Tobias Thiel
1   Department of Hand, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
,
Adrien Daigeler
1   Department of Hand, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
,
Ruth Christine Schäfer
1   Department of Hand, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery, BG Trauma Center Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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Abstract

Background The anterolateral thigh flap is a versatile and dependable perforator flap and is a popular choice in the reconstruction of various body sites. The variable perforator anatomy suggests preoperative perforator imaging to improve safety and speed of dissection. An innovative perforator imaging technique is thermography, which lately gained attention in plastic surgery.

Methods Thirty-two healthy participants were included in this randomized study. One thigh was examined with dynamic infrared thermography and consecutively with ultrasound, while the contralateral thigh was examined with ultrasound as standalone technology.

Results The application of dynamic infrared thermography prior to ultrasound perforator identification significantly accelerated the ultrasound examination duration by 90 to 130 seconds. The mean duplex ultrasound examination duration correlated positively with the hotspot and perforator quantity per thigh.

Conclusion The addition of thermographic perforator mapping can accelerate color duplex ultrasound anterolateral thigh perforator imaging. Furthermore, thermography supplements color duplex ultrasound with crucial information on angiosome location.

Keywords

ALT flap - perforator - thermography


Publication History

Received: 23 February 2022

Accepted: 23 June 2022

Article published online:
23 September 2022

© 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

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