AUTHOR=Kim Yoo Hwan , Paik Seung-Ho , Kim Youngmin , Yoon Jaechul , Cho Yong Suk , Kym Dohern , Hur Jun , Chun Wook , Kim Beop-Min , Kim Byung-Jo TITLE=Clinical application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy for burn assessment JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology VOLUME=11 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1127563 DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2023.1127563 ISSN=2296-4185 ABSTRACT=

Significance: Early assessment of local tissue oxygen saturation is essential for clinicians to determine the burn wound severity.

Background: We assessed the burn extent and depth in the skin of the extremities using a custom-built 36-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy system in patients with burns.

Methods: A total of nine patients with burns were analyzed in this study. All second-degree burns were categorized as superficial, intermediate, and deep burns; non-burned skin on the burned side; and healthy skin on the contralateral non-burned side. Hemodynamic tissue signals from functional near-infrared spectroscopy attached to the burn site were measured during fNIRS using a blood pressure cuff. A nerve conduction study was conducted to check for nerve damage.

Results: All second-degree burns were categorized into superficial, intermediate, and deep burns; non-burned skin on the burned side and healthy skin on the contralateral non-burned side showed a significant difference distinguishable using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Hemodynamic measurements using functional near-infrared spectroscopy were more consistent with the diagnosis of burns 1 week later than that of the degree of burns diagnosed visually at the time of admission.

Conclusion: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy may help with the early judgment of burn extent and depth by reflecting differences in the oxygen saturation levels in the skin.