Aplicación de nuevas tecnologías en el cuidado neonatal: monitorización de la saturación regional de oxígeno

Abstract

In recent decades, neonatology as a sub-specialty of pediatrics has had substantial growth, given not only by the increased knowledge about the main adaptive mechanisms to extrauterine life and the pathophysiology of the main entities that affect the newborn, but for the advancement of obstetrics, fetal and perinatal medicine, and the incorporation of new technologies to neonatal care. NIRS technology (near infrared spectroscopy) is a clinical neuromonitoring tool that allows non-invasive measurement of oxygen consumption in real time in order to know the saturation of various somatic tissues, such as the brain, intestine and kidneys. Although neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses have a greater development in clinical, therapeutic and procedural aspects, it is important that they can internalize themselves in the use of new equipment that provides valuable information in order to optimize newborns care. This article addresses the history of this technology, the principles on which it is based the operating mode, and nursing care related to equipment and the newborn.