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This study investigates whether infrared thermography, a harmless and non-invasive thermal camera technique, can help monitor how surgical wounds heal after skin surgery. The goal is to detect wound problems earlier, such as infection or delayed healing, and to support doctors in making timely clinical decisions.
This study evaluates whether infrared thermography, a non-invasive technique that measures skin surface temperature, can help monitor how surgical wounds heal after dermatologic procedures. Surgical wounds may develop complications such as infection, delayed healing, or graft problems, and these issues are often detected only when visible changes appear on the skin. Because temperature changes can occur earlier than visible symptoms, thermal imaging may provide an earlier signal that a wound is not healing normally.
Participants in this study will have thermal images taken at several routine follow-up moments after their skin surgery. The imaging procedure is quick, painless, and does not touch the skin. By comparing temperature patterns over time, the study aims to understand whether specific thermal changes are linked to normal recovery or to early signs of wound problems.
The information gained from this study may help determine if handheld thermal cameras could be used as a supportive tool in clinical practice. Earlier identification of healing problems may allow clinicians to adjust treatment sooner and improve patient outcomes, while also providing a simple, accessible way to document wound progress.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermography Monitoring Arm | Experimental | Participants in this arm will undergo infrared thermography using the FLIR ONE PRO device at predefined postoperative time points. Thermal images of the surgical wound are captured without touching the skin. The temperature patterns are analyzed to monitor wound healing and to identify early signs of complications such as infection, delayed healing, or graft problems. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infrared thermography | Device | Participants will undergo non-contact infrared thermography using a handheld thermal imaging device to capture temperature patterns of the surgical wound at predefined postoperative time points. The device is used solely for diagnostic imaging and does not touch the skin or alter wound care. Thermal images are recorded under standardized conditions and analyzed to identify temperature changes that may indicate normal healing or early signs of complications such as infection, delayed healing, or graft failure. This intervention differs from standard clinical follow-up because it adds objective thermal measurements that are not part of routine postoperative assessment. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal pattern changes associated with normal versus abnormal surgical wound healing | Changes in wound temperature patterns detected through infrared thermography will be evaluated to determine whether they correspond to normal healing or early signs of complications such as infection, delayed healing, or graft problems. Thermal images will be analyzed for differences in temperature distribution, symmetry, and progression over time. | Postoperative days 2-4 and day 7 for Mohs surgery; day 7 and day 14 for trunk and extremities; postoperative weeks 1-4 for scalp grafts. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Overall feasibility and clinical utility of infrared thermography | This outcome assesses the overall feasibility and clinical utility of infrared thermography in postoperative wound monitoring, based on a combined evaluation of image acquisition success, clinician-reported usability, and its contribution to earlier identification of wound abnormalities. A single composite qualitative outcome will be reported. |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annemiek Leeman, Prof. Dr. | Contact | 0032 016 33 79 50 | annemiek.leeman@uzleuven.be | |
| Sofie Van Kelst, BSc | Contact | 0032 016 33 78 64 | sofie.vankelst@kuleuven.be |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Annemiek Leeman, Prof. Dr. | UZLeuven, Department of Dermatology | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UZLeuven, Department of Dermatology | Recruiting | Leuven | Vlaams Brabant | 3000 | Belgium |
Individual participant data will not be shared because the study collects identifiable thermal images linked to clinical wound outcomes, and secondary use is not foreseen. Data are stored under GDPR protections and are not intended for redistribution.
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D013530 | Surgical Wound Infection |
| D011183 | Postoperative Complications |
| D012878 | Skin Neoplasms |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D014946 | Wound Infection |
| D007239 | Infections |
| D010335 | Pathologic Processes |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
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| Postoperative days 2-4 and day 7 (Mohs); day 7 and day 14 (trunk/extremities); postoperative weeks 1-4 (scalp). |
| D009371 | Neoplasms by Site |
| D009369 | Neoplasms |
| D012871 | Skin Diseases |
| D017437 | Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases |