Medical imaging for safer flap reconstruction surgery

Tissue flap surgery is a technique used in breast and maxillofacial reconstruction. A flap of tissue, which can contain bone, muscle, skin, and fat, is taken from another part of the body, and moved to a new site where the blood vessels are reattached. Because of the risk of clots and tissue death, patients are monitored closely for several days following this type of surgery.

Leti has developed a technique—deep endogenous optical imaging—that could make post-surgical monitoring more robust and reliable by detecting and locating any alterations in blood flow to the tissue flap early on. The technique has been tested with success on small animals in a joint project with Grenoble University Medical Center.

A demonstration on a more representative model is planned for 2015. Two patent applications have been filed.

Contact: anne.planat-chretien@cea.fr

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