Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Cerebral Arterial Oxygen Saturation Measurements Using a Fiber-Optic Pulse Oximeter

  • Take Notice Technology
  • Published:
Neurocritical Care Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

A pilot investigation was undertaken to assess the performance of a novel fiber-optic cerebral pulse oximetry system. A fiber-optic probe designed to pass through the lumen of a cranial bolt of the type used to make intracranial pressure measurements was used to obtain optical reflectance signals directly from brain tissue.

Methods

Short-duration measurements were made in six patients undergoing neurosurgery. These were followed by a longer duration measurement in a patient recovering from an intracerebral hematoma. Estimations of cerebral arterial oxygen saturation derived from a frequency domain-based algorithm are compared with simultaneous pulse oximetry (SpO2) and hemoximeter (SaO2) blood samples.

Results

The short-duration measurements showed that reliable photoplethysmographic signals could be obtained from the brain tissue. In the long-duration study, the mean (±SD) difference between cerebral oxygen saturation (ScaO2) and finger SpO2 (in saturation units) was −7.47(±3.4)%. The mean (±SD) difference between ScaO2 and blood SaO2 was −7.37(±2.8)%.

Conclusions

This pilot study demonstrated that arterial oxygen saturation may be estimated from brain tissue via a fiber-optic pulse oximeter used in conjunction with a cranial bolt. Further studies are needed to confirm the clinical utility of the technique.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hinds CJ, Watson JD. Intensive care: a concise textbook. 3rd ed. London: Saunders Ltd.; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Marik PE, Varon J, Trask T. Management of head trauma. Chest. 2002;122(2):699–711.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Graham DI, Adams JH, Doyle D, et al. Ischaemic brain damage os still common in fatal non-missile head injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1989;52:346–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bartlett J, Kett-White R, Mendelow AD, Miller JD, Pickard J, Teasdale G. Guidelines for the initial management of head injuries: recommendations from the Society of British Neurological Surgeons. Br J Neurosurg. 1998;12:349–52.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Chesnut RM, Marshall LF, Klauber MR, et al. The role of secondary brain injury in determining outcome from severe head injury. Journal of Trauma. 1993;34:216–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Valadka AB, Gopinath SP, Contant CF, Uzura M, Robertson CS. Relationship of brain tissue PO2 to outcome after severe head injury. Crit Care Med. 1998;26(9):1576–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Schell RM, Cole DJ. Cerebral monitoring: jugular venous oximetry. Anesth Analg. 2000;90(3):559–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Kirkpatrick PJ. Use of near-infrared spectroscopy in the adult. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B. 1997;352(1354):701–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ferrari M, Mottola L, Quaresima V. Principles, techniques, and limitations of near infrared spectroscopy. Can J Appl Physiol. 2004;29(4):463–87.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hiraoka M, Firbank M, Essenpreis M, et al. A Monte Carlo investigation of optical pathlength in inhomogeneous tissue and its application to near-infrared spectroscopy. Phys Med Biol. 1993;38(12):1859–76.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Germon TJ, Kane NM, Manara AR, Nelson RJ. Near-infrared spectroscopy in adults: effects of extracranial ischaemia and intracranial hypoxia on estimation of cerebral oxygenation. Br J Anaesth. 1994;73(4):503–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Germon TJ, Young AE, Manara AR, Nelson RJ. Extracerebral absorption of near infrared light influences the detection of increased cerebral oxygenation monitored by near infrared spectroscopy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1995;58(4):477–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. van den Brink WA, Haitsma IK, Avezaat CJ, Houtsmuller AB, Kros JM, Maas AI. Brain parenchyma/pO2 catheter interface: a histopathological study in the rat. J Neurotrauma. 1998;15(10):813–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Phillips JP, Kyriacou PA, George KJ, Priestley JV, Langford RM. An optical fiber photoplethysmographic system for central nervous system tissue. In: Conference Proceedings of Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society, vol. 1, p. 803–6, 2006.

  15. Mortara RW. Intracranial pressure monitoring in the emergency setting. Med Instrum. 1982;16(4):197–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ghajar J. Intracranial pressure monitoring techniques. New Horizons. 1995;3(3):395–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Barash PG, Cullen BF, Stoelting RK. Clinical anesthesia. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Phillips JP, Langford RM, Kyriacou PA, Jones DP. Preliminary evaluation of a new fibre-optic cerebral oximetry system. Physiol Meas. 2008;29(12):1383–96.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Moyle J. Pulse oximetry (principles and practice). 2nd ed. London: BMJ Books; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Szold A, Pizov R, Segal E, Perel A. The effect of tidal volume and intravascular volume state on systolic pressure variation in ventilated dogs. Intensive Care Med. 1989;15(6):368–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, City University, London, EC1V 0HB, UK

    J. P. Phillips, P. A. Kyriacou & D. P. Jones

  2. Anesthetic Laboratory, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, EC1A 7BE, UK

    R. M. Langford, S. H. Chang & K. Maney

Authors
  1. J. P. Phillips
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. M. Langford
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. H. Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Maney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. A. Kyriacou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. D. P. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. P. Phillips.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

(PDF 288 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Phillips, J.P., Langford, R.M., Chang, S.H. et al. Cerebral Arterial Oxygen Saturation Measurements Using a Fiber-Optic Pulse Oximeter. Neurocrit Care 13, 278–285 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-010-9349-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-010-9349-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation