Practical Applicability of Noninvasive, Optical Outcome Measures for Postoperative Wound Assessment in Dermatologic Surgery
Helena M. Nammour, Julien Bourgeois, Anthony LinfanteBACKGROUND
Various bedside imaging devices, such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), optical coherence tomography (OCT), line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT), and high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) have been applied to quantify and objectively measure functional wound closure, enable noninvasive wound surveillance, and predict defective scar formation early on. Despite their efficacy, a lack of consolidated data on their practical application limits clinical understanding of these emerging technologies.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate various noninvasive optical imaging devices for postoperative wound assessment, specifically comparing the advantages, limitations, and practical applicability of each technique in dermatologic surgery.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A literature review identified 32 articles discussing the utility of RCM, OCT, LC-OCT, and HFUS for wound and scar assessment.
RESULTS
Each of the discussed measures are advantageous to postoperative examination of skin changes, offering insightful information that supports gross clinical inspection and histopathology. Significant trade-offs can be observed between depth penetration and image resolution among each device.
CONCLUSION
Application of bedside imaging to evaluate wounds can optimize cosmetic outcomes, predict early scar formation, and decrease recovery duration.