title: Assessment of intestinal viability using a non-contact laser tissue blood flowmeter.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraoperative assessment of small intestinal viability following ischemic insult from arterial occlusion has remained difficult. The purpose of the present study was to assess the applicability of non-contact tissue blood flowmeter (NCLBF) with regard to intraoperative assessment of intestinal viability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the ischemia-reperfusion model of rabbits, the relationship between the records of NCLBF, pulse oximetry (PO), and histological grade and the comparison of accuracy of intestinal viability among NCLBF, PO, and fluorescein (FL) were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant relationship between NCLBF and the histological grade (coefficient-0.80, P <0.0001); however, PO was not related. The accuracy and sensitivity of bowel viability of NCLBF (76%, 88%) were better than those of PO (58%, 23%) and FL (48%, 4%), respectively (P <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NCLBF is useful to assess intestinal viability, suggesting the possibility of clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate School, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nihei
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004867:Equipment Design; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000098:blood supply*; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity