Continuous measurement of transcutaneous oxygen tension of neonates under general anesthesia

Neonates present unique challenges to the anesthesiologist because of their susceptibility to oxygen toxicity and because clinical assessment of the degree of an infant's hypoxia is more difficult than in the adult. Equipment is now available for the continuous noninvasive measurement of transcutaneous oxygen tension. We used this equipment to monitor nine different neonates undergoing ten surgical procedures requiring general anesthesia. We found that certain of the infants were above and below what we considered to be a safe range for the transcutaneous oxygen tension for a significant portion of the surgery. Additionally, the manipulations of the surgeon and anesthesiologists were seen to cause sudden and large fluctuations in the transcutaneous oxygen tension. By providing the anesthesiologist with continuous and immediate data on the cardiorespiratory status of the infant, transcutaneous oxygen monitoring makes itself a valuable addition to the equipment used in the intraoperative monitoring of the neonate.