Cerebral oxygenation saturation in childhood: difference by age and comparison of two cerebral oximetry algorithms

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Devices
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Limited data exists on regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) monitoring in pediatric non-cardiac surgery.
• No studies have comprehensively assessed rSO2 across a wide range of pediatric age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare rSO2 levels in pediatric patients across different age groups undergoing non-cardiac surgery.
• To investigate the correlation between two different oximetry devices and influencing physiological factors.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-eight children (infants, toddlers, schoolchildren) undergoing non-cardiac surgery were enrolled.
• Regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) was measured using time-resolved spectroscopy (tNIRS-1) and conventional INVOS 5100C oximeters.
• Differences in rSO2 among age groups and correlations with physiological factors were analyzed.

Main Results:

• INVOS 5100C showed significantly lower rSO2 in infants compared to other groups.
• tNIRS-1 indicated higher rSO2 in toddlers than in other age groups.
• A moderate correlation (r=0.41) was found between devices, with INVOS 5100C values ~20% higher and exhibiting a ceiling effect. Blood pressure affected INVOS 5100C, while sevoflurane concentration affected tNIRS-1.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric rSO2 values during non-cardiac surgery vary significantly across age groups.
• The pattern of age-related differences in rSO2 differs between tNIRS-1 and INVOS 5100C devices due to distinct algorithms.
• Further research is needed to fully understand cerebral oxygenation monitoring in pediatric patients.