Neonatal intensive care monitoring

Abstract 

The monitoring of physiological parameters is an integral part of neonatal intensive care. This article describes the rationale for the development of neonatal blood gas monitoring, leading on to a review of current practice in the UK. Possible means of improving current techniques are described, including biocompatible catheters and sensors, signal-processing, intelligent monitoring and telemetry. Techniques such as near infrared spectroscopy and cerebral impedance tomography, which have the potential to provide real-time monitoring of the cerebral circulation, are discussed. The importance of risk management in the introduction of new technology is highlighted, and future research directions are outlined.

Keywords:  Neonatal monitoring, Pulse oximetry, Transcutaneous monitoring, Neonatal intensive care, Near infrared spectroscopy, Clark electrode