KEY PUBLICATIONS IN WOUND CARE: Comparing Near-Infrared Spectroscopy & Transcutaneous Oxygen Measurement in Hard-to-Heal Wounds
SnapshotNIR uses NIR (Near-Infrared) light to determine tissue oxygenation saturation (StO2), one of the key indicators of tissue health. NIR light penetrates ~2-3mm into the tissue, making it ideal for microcirculation assessment, where oxygen exchange is happening. Key Publications in Wound Care covers some of the most up-to-date research on the use of Kent Imaging’s SnapshotNIR in the areas of wound care and limb preservation.
Comparing Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Transcutaneous Oxygen Measurement in Hard-to-Heal Wounds: A Pilot Study. J Wound Care; WUWHS Suppl. 2020; 29(6): S4-S10.
Serena TE, Yaskov R, Serena L, Mayhugh T, Harrell K.
CLINICAL DATA
Background: Oxygen plays an integral role in all phases of the wound healing process and tissue oxygenation is a key determinant of wound healing. A comprehensive evaluation of patients with hard-to-heal wounds must include measurement of oxygenation in and around the area of skin breakdown. The current gold standard, transcutaneous oxygen measurement (TCOM), has numerous drawbacks and as a result, has fallen into disuse.
Methods: This study compared measurement of tissue oxygenation from near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with TCOM in patients with acute and hard-to-heal wounds. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to evaluate the normality of the data. The level of agreement between NIRS and TCOM was determined using Bland-Altman analysis. The relationship between TCOM and NIRS was examined using Pearson correlation.
Results: A total of 24 observations were obtained from 10 patients using TCOM and NIRS. The weighted mean partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) in the study population was 39.54 ± 8.96 mmHg. The oxygen levels measured by TCOM and NIRS showed a strong correlation (r=0.74).
A 67-year-old male with proximal wounds on the left leg, of one month’s duration. Transcutaneous oxygen measurement (TCOM) (a); near-infrared spectroscopy image in the same location as the lead placement for the TCOM electrode shows adequate oxygenation in the area of the TCOM lead (b).
Conclusion: The wound and hyperbaric community would benefit from a simplified procedure for measuring tissue oxygenation. These findings suggest a strong trend toward correlation between NIRS and TCOM. A further study in a larger population is recommended. NIRS offers several advantages over TCOM. Clinicians have immediate point-of-care visualization of tissue oxygenation using a handheld device. The procedure takes minutes to perform and is less operator dependent than TCOM. Finally, NIRS allows measurement of oxygenation in the wound bed, while TCOM does not.