PATTERNS OF THERMOREGULATION ASSOCIATED WITH COLD INTOLERANCE AFTER DIGITAL REPLANTATION

Twelve patients with complete thumb amputations were analyzed to deter mine the interrelations between thermoregulation for pain and cold int olerance and sensory nerve recovery, Patients were examined at 3 month s, 6 months, 1 year, and after 2 years following replantation. Medical thermography was introduced to assess postoperative circulation follo wing digital replantation, while vasomotor tone was assessed by cold-s tress plethysmography testing. Postoperative circulation was divided i nto two different patterns based upon skin temperature, the transition of which over time correlated well with sensory nerve recovery, Patie nts with cold intolerance showed a persistent vasoconstriction pattern , the cold change of which was objectively detected by thermography. ( C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.