Surgical site identification with personal digital device: A prospective pilot study

Abstract

Background: Various means to facilit ate accurate biopsy site identification have been proposed.

Objective: To determine the accuracy of biopsy site identification by using photographs taken with a patient's digital device by a dermatologist versus professional medical photography.

Methods: Photographs of circled biopsy sites were taken with personal digital devices by the principal investigator (PI). Another set of photographs was taken by a professional photographer. Secondary photographs were taken of the biopsy site location pointed to by the staff and PI on the basis of the personal digital device image and professional medical photography, respectively. On the basis of secondary photographs, 2 independent dermatologists determined whether the skin biopsy locations pointed out by the staff were consistent with the ones pointed out by PI.

Results: Per dermatologist A, the staff correctly identified all 53 biopsy sites. Per dermatologist B, the staff were correct on 51 of 53 observations. Dermatologist C, the final arbiter, concurred with dermatologist A on the 2 cases in which dermatologist B was not certain of the location of the biopsy site.

Limitations: The mean interval from initial biopsy to reidentification of the site was 36.2 days.

Conclusion: Utilizing patients' personal digital devices is a cost-effective, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant, and readily available means to identify skin biopsy sites.

Keywords: biopsy site identification; personal digital device; skin biopsy.