Thermographic and oxygenation imaging system for non-contact skin measurements to determine the effects of regional block anesthesia

摘要

Regional anesthetic blocks are performed on patients who will undergo surgery of the hand. In this study, thermal and oxygenation imaging techniques were applied to observe the region affected by the peripheral block as a fast objective, non-contact, method compared to the standard pinpricks or cold sensation tests. The temperature images were acquired with an IR thermal camera (FLIR ThermoCam SC640). The data were recorded and analyzed with the ThermaCam? Researcher software. Images at selected wavelengths were obtained with a CCD camera combined with a Liquid Crystal Tunable Filter (420-730 nm). The concentration changes of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in the dermis of the skin were calculated using the modified Lambert Beer equation. In 10 patients an anesthetic block was placed by administering 20-30 ml Ropivacaine 7,5 mg/ml around the plexus brachialis. The anesthetic block of the axillary, ulnar, median and radial nerve causes dilatation of the blood vessels inducing an increase of blood flow and, consequently, an increase of the skin temperature and skin oxygenation in the lower arm. Both imaging methods showed distinct oxygenation and temperature differences at the surface of the skin of the hand with a good correlation with the areas with the nerve blocks. For oxygenation imaging a CCD camera with LED light source of selected wavelengths might be a relative inexpensive method to observe the effectiveness of regional blocks.