THERMOGRAPHIC METHOD FOR DIAGNOSING HIP AND KNEE JOINT PROSTHESIS INSTABILITY Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: medicine. SUBSTANCE: method involves carrying out instrumental examination of the hip and knee joints including thermographic examination of patient in standard vertical position after 15 min long adaptation to environment conditions. Somato-sympathetic vasomotor extremity reflex amplitude and volume are evaluated, reference temperature (T_ref) is determined in epigastric area, differential temperatures in anterior projections of both extremities are calculated as , where T_crus is the averaged temperature of the anterior foot projection, T_fem is that of the crus, is that of the femur and the like temperatures (ΔT) for posterior projection of the lower extremity. Then, temperature gradients (T_int) between the intact extremity and the extremity having endoprosthesis for calculating somato-sympathetic vasomotor reflex irradiation volume as values ΔT₁ = T₁-T_1int for feet, ΔT₂ = T₂-T_2int for crus, ΔT₃ = T₃-T_3int for femurs in anterior projection of the lower extremity. Then S value being thermal topography disorder zone area is calculated in % as difference from the intact extremity in the anterior projection of foot (S₁), crus (S₂), femur (S₃), and in the posterior projection respectively. Then the obtained values are compared to endoprosthesis instability topographic criteria like obtained in calculating diagnostic efficiency. At least two of the criteria being valid, endoprosthesis instability is to be diagnosed. EFFECT: high accuracy of diagnosis. 2 dwg, 1 tbl