[New advances and debated questions in intensive care in the 90-s]

Author is first dealing with the debate about supranormal oxygen delivery and with the Consensus Conference, closing the debate. Author is emphasizing the significance of the regional tissue-oxygenisation, which can be measured--in the splanchnic region--indirectly by tonometry, suitable for prognostic index too. The continuous blood gas analysis became already a fact and for the estimation of the cerebral circulation are also developed new methods: the measurement of the ajvDO2 and the near infrared spectroscopy. Author outlines the new parameters, determining the oxygen-availability (px, Cx, Qx). Finally, author is discussing two new american concepts for reducing healthcare costs: flexible monitoring and subacute centers.