[Neonatal oxygen therapy. Monitoring of PO2 by using capillary microsample]

Capillary blood obtained from puncture of a warmed heel was tested for PO2 monitoring in management of 31 infants (1215-3920 g) with perinatal asphyxia and/or RDS. PO2 means during O2 administration were referred to mean values +/- I sigma for 108 normal term infants. All infants survived, with only a neurological complication due to a severe RDS with pneumothorax during CPAP treatment. We confirm the reliability of capillary microsampling collected blood for PO2 monitoring in RDS management too.