Continuous oxygen monitoring of the conjunctiva in neonates.
OBJECTIVE
To report the first use of a noninvasive conjunctival oxygen monitor in neonates. We wished to investigate if measuring the partial pressure of oxygen directly from the conjunctiva could track hyperoxia and hypoxia as well as, or better than, pulse oximetry. This has the potential to reflect brain oxygenation while yielding important systemic information.


METHODS
Criteria standard.


METHODS
Tertiary care hospital neonatal intensive care unit.


METHODS
Ten newborns monitored with pulse oximetry.


METHODS
The conjunctival oxygen monitor was studied for effectiveness and safety and compared to pulse oximetry.


RESULTS
The device remained on the eyes up to 120 minutes. The correlation coefficient between conjunctival oxygen tension and pulse oximetry was significant for all readings (p<0.001) and for pulse oximetry measurements below 100% (p=0.024). One infant developed eyelid edema, which subsided when the device was removed and one sustained a small corneal abrasion that healed overnight.


CONCLUSIONS
This initial pilot report suggests that the conjunctival oxygen monitor is effective and relatively safe in neonates. The device holds promise to indicate a tissue oxygen reading, which may provide neonatologists with more information about systemic oxygenation.
Isenberg
Sherwin J
SJ
Jules Stein Eye Institute, Departments of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics, Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
Neumann
Doron
D
Fink
Stanley
S
Rich
Robert
R
D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D010313:Partial Pressure; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies
D010100:Oxygen