Intra-Operative Infrared Thermography for Bowel Resection

This prospective randomized control pilot study evaluates the use of intra-operative infrared thermography compared to conventional visual assessment for preventing anastomotic leaks in bowel resection surgeries. Eighty adult patients undergoing elective single bowel resection and anastomosis were randomly divided into two equal groups. In the intervention group, a portable thermal camera was used to assess real-time blood supply at the bowel margins to decide the exact line of resection. In the control group, surgeons used standard clinical judgment based on visual cues. The primary outcome measured was the incidence of anastomotic leak within thirty days after surgery. Secondary outcomes evaluated included total operative time, intra-operative blood loss, length of hospital stay, thirty-day mortality, and post-operative complications graded by the Clavien-Dindo classification system.