Perspective Chapter: Identification of Body Contouring Surgery Complications by Multispectral RGB/Infrared Thermography Imaging

Abstract

Infrared thermography can assist in the documentation of inflammatory vascular healing reactions and tissue perfusion resulting from esthetic surgical procedures in different parts of the body and face. Both in preoperative planning and in its postoperative evolutionary behavior. Infrared thermography is a functional imaging technique of cutaneous vascular activity using long-infrared electromagnetic radiation emitted by tissue cells. It can accurately identify terminal cutaneous perforating vessels related to greater or lesser skin perfusion, non-invasively, quickly, painlessly, safely and without emission of ionizing radiation by scanning a segment or entire body in a single image. This facilitates the evaluation of patients undergoing lipoabdominoplasty and their postoperative follow-up. Monitoring of new techniques and traditional procedures with infrared scanning technology helps in the early diagnostic elucidation of complications (edema, seromas, epidermolysis, hematoma, dehiscence, infection, necrosis), evolutionary studies of healing and local effects of thermoguided procedures (such as manual therapy, laser photobiomodulation, ultrasound, radiofrequency, hyperbaric oxygen therapy) direct the treatment with more objectivity, better results, and safety.