Arch Surg Chicago
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Comparative Study
The use of infrared photoplethysmography in identifying early intestinal ischemia.
Acute intestinal ischemia and infarction remain serious clinical problems despite early operative intervention. An accurate and reproducible method of assessing ischemic tissue is critical to determine the precise limits of resection. The purpose of this study was to compare the utility of infrared photoplethysmography, intravenous fluorescein, and Doppler ultrasound in assessing intestinal ischemia in an operative canine model. ⋯ Infrared photoplethysmography proved to be 100% sensitive for ischemia when its waveform amplitudes were 50% or greater of matched reference waveforms, whereas both intravenous fluorescein and Doppler ultrasound were 88% sensitive. All were comparably specific. We conclude that infrared photoplethysmography is comparable to intravenous fluorescein and Doppler ultrasound in the assessment of ischemic intestinal segments.