Mike Sowa and his research team at the National Research Council Canada have described pre-clinical results demonstrating the potential of NIR spectral imaging for assessing intra-operative skin flaps. Their research, published in the JNIRS--Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy, show that using tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation estimates allowed researchers to make imaging measurements calculated during surgery and early post-op period with high predictability of the outcome of the flap tissue. This predictability of the outcome of the flap tissue exceeded specificities and sensitivities of 85%.
Oxygenation imaging right after surgery demonstrates excellent predictive ability for tissue necrosis. The accuracy of prediction regarding oxygen saturation improves as measurements are calculated in the post-op period and becomes an even better predictor of outcome when measurement is performed 1 to 2 hours after surgery.