AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF THE SURGICAL WOUND TEMPERATURE FOR DETECTION OF INFECTION WITHIN FOUR DAYS POST-SURGERY.

Abstract

This was a two-phase study based on a prospective observational design. In phase I, there was a decrease in temperature taken from a distance from 30 cm to 100 cm. Though not statistically significant, obese subjects had the lowest mean and median abdominal temperature. In phase II, both infected and non-infected surgical wounds showed a significant increase in wound temperature at Days 1 to 4. On comparison, significant differences in the surgical wound temperature readings were found between the two groups on Day 1 and Day 2. The infrared images showed two distinct features for an infected surgical wound with partial warming of the surgical incision and manifestation of ‘cold’ spots. This possibly locate the site for poor blood supply, which supply lower oxygen and nutrient essential for wound healing. This suggested that infected surgical wound could be detected within four days post-surgery.