Predicting Success in Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Diabetic Foot: The Role of Infrared Thermography
Summary: This study (Bao et al., 2025) explored whether perioperative infrared thermography (IRT) can predict which patients with diabetic foot complications benefit most from spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Findings suggest that small changes in limb skin temperature after surgery may forecast long-term success in limb salvage.
Key Highlights:
- Study cohort: 33 patients with diabetic foot complications underwent SCS.
- Temperature changes: Patients whose skin temperature rose by ≥ –0.12 °C within one week of surgery achieved higher limb salvage rates.
- Limb salvage outcomes: Overall, 78.8% of limbs treated with SCS avoided amputation.
- Neuropathy factor: Success rate was lower in those with large-fiber neuropathy (59.1%) compared to patients without neuropathy (88.6%).
- Ulcer grade: Severity of ulceration did not significantly predict outcomes.
- Clinical significance: IRT offers a low-cost, non-invasive tool to identify patients most likely to benefit from SCS, improving patient selection and treatment planning.
Read the full article on Diabetic Foot Online
Keywords:
Bao,
spinal cord stimulation,
infrared thermography,
diabetic foot,
limb salvage