Thermal Imaging for abdominal Perforator Selection (TIPs)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The use of the thermal imaging camera to identify perforators for abdominal based free flap surgery (TIPs)

• IRAS ID

  268579

• Contact name

  Georgette Oni

• Contact email

  georgette.oni@nuh.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  DIEP flap surgery is the gold standard in autologous breast reconstruction. It is however long and complex surgery. Preoperative imaging can help with surgical planning. The benefits of this are to help shorten surgical time, which in turn shortens anaesthetic time for the patient and ultimately improve flap transfer success. Currently imaging in the form of CT angiography or MRA scans are used to help delineate the perforator anatomy. However, this means a separate trip to hospital for the patient to have this performed. CT scans confer a dose of radiation to the patient and many patients find MRI an uncomfortable investigation with some not tolerating it at all. Both involve cannulation of the patient, injection of a contrast media and an associated cost not just of investigation itself but also of the radiologist that reads the scans.
  Thermal imaging is a method of picking up 'hot spots' on the skin which we postulate would correlate to biggest perforators. The aim of this study is to validate the use of the thermal imaging camera for perforator selection prior to DIEP flap surgery

• REC name

  London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  19/LO/1968

• Date of REC Opinion

  19 Dec 2019

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion