Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessment

Introduction: Accurate assessment of burn wound depth is important because it determines the choice of treatment and prognosis. Clinical evaluation remains the most commonly used modality with its accuracy varies from 50% to 70%. This study was conducted to assess the accuracy and feasibility of bur...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pawan Agarwal, Dhananjaya Sharma, Sudesh Wankhede, Lokesh Kumar Patel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Burns
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijburns.com/article.asp?issn=0971-653X;year=2018;volume=26;issue=1;spage=72;epage=76;aulast=Agarwal
_version_ 1818673093986484224
author Pawan Agarwal
Dhananjaya Sharma
Sudesh Wankhede
Lokesh Kumar Patel
author_facet Pawan Agarwal
Dhananjaya Sharma
Sudesh Wankhede
Lokesh Kumar Patel
author_sort Pawan Agarwal
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Accurate assessment of burn wound depth is important because it determines the choice of treatment and prognosis. Clinical evaluation remains the most commonly used modality with its accuracy varies from 50% to 70%. This study was conducted to assess the accuracy and feasibility of burn wound depth using noninvasive noncontact technique using infrared thermometry. Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients' burn wounds depth was classified clinically into full-thickness, deep partial-thickness, or superficial partial-thickness burns. Thermometry was performed on 3rd day of burn injury using the handheld infrared thermometer. A punch biopsy was taken from all three areas (deep, deep-partial, and superficial-partial burns). A correlation between surface temperature and depth of burn by histopathology was done. Results: 12/15 patients total burn surface area (TBSA < 65%) survived and three patients (TBSA > 65%) died. In 11/12survivors, thermometry correctly predicted final burn depth. One of 12 burns superficial burn was wrongly assessed clinically as full thickness but was correctly classified by thermometry and healed within 21 days without surgery. 3/12 burns on clinical assessment thought to be superficial were deep; two were correctly predicted by thermometry. Conclusions: Handheld infrared thermometer can be used in conjunction with clinical examination to improve the efficacy of burn wound depth assessment.
first_indexed 2024-12-17T07:50:19Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d4535f9ecb674c94a266e3d56573f6f9
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0971-653X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-17T07:50:19Z
publishDate 2018-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Indian Journal of Burns
spelling doaj.art-d4535f9ecb674c94a266e3d56573f6f92022-12-21T21:57:53ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Burns0971-653X2018-01-01261727610.4103/ijb.ijb_19_18Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessmentPawan AgarwalDhananjaya SharmaSudesh WankhedeLokesh Kumar PatelIntroduction: Accurate assessment of burn wound depth is important because it determines the choice of treatment and prognosis. Clinical evaluation remains the most commonly used modality with its accuracy varies from 50% to 70%. This study was conducted to assess the accuracy and feasibility of burn wound depth using noninvasive noncontact technique using infrared thermometry. Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients' burn wounds depth was classified clinically into full-thickness, deep partial-thickness, or superficial partial-thickness burns. Thermometry was performed on 3rd day of burn injury using the handheld infrared thermometer. A punch biopsy was taken from all three areas (deep, deep-partial, and superficial-partial burns). A correlation between surface temperature and depth of burn by histopathology was done. Results: 12/15 patients total burn surface area (TBSA < 65%) survived and three patients (TBSA > 65%) died. In 11/12survivors, thermometry correctly predicted final burn depth. One of 12 burns superficial burn was wrongly assessed clinically as full thickness but was correctly classified by thermometry and healed within 21 days without surgery. 3/12 burns on clinical assessment thought to be superficial were deep; two were correctly predicted by thermometry. Conclusions: Handheld infrared thermometer can be used in conjunction with clinical examination to improve the efficacy of burn wound depth assessment.http://www.ijburns.com/article.asp?issn=0971-653X;year=2018;volume=26;issue=1;spage=72;epage=76;aulast=AgarwalBurn depththermal burnthermographythermometry
spellingShingle Pawan Agarwal
Dhananjaya Sharma
Sudesh Wankhede
Lokesh Kumar Patel
Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessment
Indian Journal of Burns
Burn depth
thermal burn
thermography
thermometry
title Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessment
title_full Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessment
title_fullStr Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessment
title_full_unstemmed Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessment
title_short Thermometry: A simple objective method for burn depth assessment
title_sort thermometry a simple objective method for burn depth assessment
topic Burn depth
thermal burn
thermography
thermometry
url http://www.ijburns.com/article.asp?issn=0971-653X;year=2018;volume=26;issue=1;spage=72;epage=76;aulast=Agarwal
work_keys_str_mv AT pawanagarwal thermometryasimpleobjectivemethodforburndepthassessment
AT dhananjayasharma thermometryasimpleobjectivemethodforburndepthassessment
AT sudeshwankhede thermometryasimpleobjectivemethodforburndepthassessment
AT lokeshkumarpatel thermometryasimpleobjectivemethodforburndepthassessment