Measurement of brain tissue oxygen saturation in term infants using a new portable near-infrared spectroscopy device.

BACKGROUND: A small oximeter with the probe attached to the examiner's finger has been developed. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of measuring regional oxygenation of the brain tissue using this device in healthy term infants immediately after birth.

METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study. Using a new near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device, we measured changes in regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (crSO2 ) during the first 10 min of life in 32 healthy term infants after delivery. Arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) was also simultaneously measured.

RESULTS: Median crSO2 increased from 43% (1 min after birth) to 49% (4 min after birth); thereafter, no significant changes were observed. Median SpO2 increased constantly from min 3 to min 7, from 77% to 92% and did not change significantly after 8 min. A stable oxygen saturation signal was measured in 59% of infants (crSO2 ) and in 0% of infants (SpO2 ) at 1 min, and in 97% (crSO2 ) and in 78% (SpO2 ) at 3 min.

CONCLUSIONS: During the transition after birth, crSO2 can be more easily and quickly measured in healthy newborn infants using the novel NIRS device than SpO2 .