Abstract
Lumbar sympathectomy (LS) is helpful to treat the ulceration and gangrene associated with Buerger disease. To evaluate the outcome of the treatment, the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI), transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcPO2) and thermography are widely available. We herein report a case in which the outcomes of LS were evaluated with a new method, indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICG-FI). The case was a 38-year-old male with Buerger disease. Because his ulceration of the right fifth toe was resistant to conservative treatment, we performed LS. After the procedure, the ABI and tcPO2 were improved; however, his skin temperature, as measured by thermography, did not remarkably change. By ICG-FI, it was noted that the maximum intensity and the time to maximum intensity were improved in the dorsum and the distal region of the fifth metatarsal bone. The major advantage of ICG-FI is its ability to measure the regional perfusion without direct contact with the skin. ICG-FI may offer another optional test to evaluate the tissue perfusion.
