title: Utilization of laser Doppler flowmetry and tissue spectrophotometry for burn depth assessment using a miniature swine model.
abstract: Currently, the diagnosis of burn depth is primarily based on a visual assessment and can be dependent on the surgeons' experience. The goal of this study was to determine the ability of laser Doppler flowmeter combined with a tissue spectrophotometer to discriminate burn depth in a miniature swine burn model. Burn injuries of varying depth, including superficial-partial, deep-partial, and full thickness, were created in seven Göttingen minipigs using an aluminium bar (100 °C), which was applied to the abdominal skin for periods of 1, 3, 6, 12, 30, and 60 seconds with gravity alone. The depth of injury was evaluated histologically using hematoxylin and eosin staining. All burns were assessed 3 hours after injury using a device that combines a laser light and a white light to determine blood flow, hemoglobin oxygenation, and relative amount of hemoglobin. The blood flow (41 vs. 124 arbitrary units [AU]) and relative amount of hemoglobin (32 vs. 52 AU) were significantly lower in full thickness compared with superficial-partial thickness burns. However, no significant differences in hemoglobin oxygenation were observed between these depths of burns (61 vs. 60%). These results show the ability of laser Doppler flowmeter and tissue spectrophotometer in combination to discriminate between various depths of injury in the minipig model, suggesting that this device may offer a valuable tool for burn depth assessment influencing burn management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG-Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lotter
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Held
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schiefer
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Medved
authors.forename: Hans-Eberhard
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Schaller
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahmanian-Schwarz
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaminet
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothenberger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008833:Microcirculation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D013997:Time Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014945:Wound Healing