title: Continuous monitoring of central venous oxygen saturation in neonates and small infants: in vitro evaluation of two different oximetry catheters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accurate assessment and monitoring of the cardiocirculatory function are essential during major pediatric and pediatric cardiac surgery. Monitoring of the central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO(2)) may be a better indicator of tissue oxygenation and derangement of cellular oxygen utilization than the more commonly used vital parameters. Therefore, we compared oxygen saturation measurements with thin fiberoptic oximetry catheters and standard blood gas oximetry in an in vitro setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two different size continuous fiberoptic oximetry catheters (2-4-F) were inserted in an extracorporeal circuit filled with human red blood cells in normal saline (haematocrit 30%, flow 600 ml.min(-1)). The results of fiberoptic oximetry were then compared with standard blood gas oximetry for a wide range of different oxygen saturations using linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The oxygen saturations found ranged from 9% to 100%. The results of the two different fiberoptic oximetry catheters correlated significantly (r = 0.99, P < 0.0001) with standard blood gas oximetry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of fiberoptic oximetry are nearly identical with standard blood gas oximetry for a wide range of different oxygen saturations. Thin oximetry catheters can be inserted percutaneously even in neonates and small infants. The continuous monitoring of ScvO(2) may be beneficial, especially in patients who are in danger of developing low cardiac output or sudden cardiovascular collapse.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum Anästhesiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Germany. d.huber@web.de
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Wilhelm A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Osthaus
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Optenhöfel
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Breymann
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marx
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piepenbrock
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sümpelmann
mesh_terms: D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010092:Oximetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen