The value of thermography in the early diagnosis of postoperative sternal wound infections.

Peristernal skin temperatures were recorded postoperatively by infrared thermography in 150 patients. Persistent elevation of peristernal skin temperature during the 3rd and 4th post-operative week was found in 5 patients, all of whom developed sternal wound infection. A further group of 18 patients, all suspected to have occult wound infection, showed persistent temperature elevation in 7 patients, 6 of these patients were proven later to have manifest infection and needed treatment. Close thermographic scruting of the incision in patients with suspected but not proven infection appears to be useful in deleting early stages of deep seated infections.