Toward a unified monitoring system during anesthesia

A conceptual framework is proposed for the selection of monitored parameters during anesthesia, and a new device for monitoring the parameters in a unified manner is briefly presented. A 'basic set' of 6 parameters is proposed to cover the needs of most routine anesthesia: Blood Pressure, ECG/Heart Rate, Temperature, FiO2, FetCO2, and, Cortical Activity (by EEG spectral analysis). Additional parameters are added in accordance with specified factors such as patient status and complexity of the surgical procedure. An initial version of a new monitor, 'Cerebro Trac', designed for neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery, is briefly presented, along with planned future capabilities and directions for its use.