Teleconsultation by using the mobile camera phone for remote management of the extremity wound: a pilot study.
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Date
2004-12-16
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Abstract
To assess the feasibility of remote management of extremity wound by using a mobile camera phone to transfer clinical images and online communication teleconsultations were carried out on 60 patients between January and August 2003 for 82 extremity wounds presented to the emergency room between residents and consultant plastic surgeons A questionnaire about wound descriptors gangrene necrosis erythema and cellulitis infection as well as clinical opinions regarding treatment with antibiotics or debridement was filled out In this study 3 surgeons were able to make 80 76 66 and 74 agreement respectively in the remote diagnosis regarding presence of gangrene necrosis erythema and cellulitis infection Recognition of gangrene had the highest agreement percent 80 sensitivity 85 and specificity 93 There were 68 to 90 of image sets that could be made with equivalent diagnoses of wound descriptors and 83 of wounds managed as per the remote treatment recommendation regarding whether to use antibiotics or to perform debridement The preliminary results showed that the camera phone is valuable and bears potential for remote management of the extremity wound