A comparison of PO2 monitoring techniques in newborn infants

This study is an evaluation of different methods of PO2 monitoring in newborn infants. These were an intravascular PO2 electrode (Searle Life Support Systems); transcutaneous monitoring (Kontron and Hewlett-Packard); and arterialized capillary blood samples. Values of each were compared with simultaneous aortic sample values and their correlation compared. The Searle electrode and TCM were found to be of equivalent accuracy overall, although the Searle was less reliable. Searle catheters were more difficult to insert than normal catheters, with a high wastage. Arterialized capillary PO2 values did not correlate with arterial. Transcutaneous monitoring is the most reliable and cheapest method.