Tribute to Dr. Takuo Aoyagi, inventor of pulse oximetry.

Introduction: Dr. Takuo Aoyagi invented pulse oximetry in 1974. Pulse oximeters are widely used worldwide, most recently making headlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pressure-limited sustained inflation vs. gradual tidal inflations for resuscitation in preterm lambs.

Support of the mechanically complex preterm lung needs to facilitate aeration while avoiding ventilation heterogeneities: whether to achieve this gradually or quickly remains unclear. We compared the effect of gradual vs. constant tidal inflations and a pressure-limited sustained inflation (SI) at birth on gas exchange, lung mechanics, gravity-dependent lung volume distribution, and lung injury in 131-day gestation preterm lambs.

Pressure- versus volume-limited sustained inflations at resuscitation of premature newborn lambs.

Background: Sustained inflations (SI) are advocated for the rapid establishment of FRC after birth in preterm and term infants requiring resuscitation. However, the most appropriate way to deliver a SI is poorly understood. We investigated whether a volume-limited SI improved the establishment of FRC and ventilation homogeneity and reduced lung inflammation/injury compared to a pressure-limited SI.

Recent findings in the use of reflectance oximetry: a critical review.

Purpose Of Review: Pulse oximetry is ubiquitous but detailed understanding of the technology is poor. This is illustrated by publications addressing knowledge of pulse oximetry and those warning against the use of transmission pulse oximeter sensors in a reflectance manner, unintended by the manufacturers, owing to the potential for iatrogenic problems. Reflectance oximetry sensors are distinct and their application rather specific.

Histologic chorioamnionitis and severity of illness in very low birth weight newborns.

Objective: Estimating the risk of in-hospital mortality in the neonatal intensive care unit provides important information for health care providers, and several neonatal illness severity scores have been developed. Histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) is a known cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. To date, the relationship between HCA and neonatal illness severity scores has not been rigorously tested.

Oral mucosal microvascular abnormalities: an early marker of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

An abnormal pulmonary vasculature has been reported as an important component of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We tested the hypothesis of an early abnormal vascular network pattern in infants with BPD. Fifteen infants with BPD (nine boys and six girls; gestational age 27.

Assessing high-risk infants in the delivery room with pulse oximetry.

Heart rate and oxygenation status are essential to the delivery room assessment of newborn infants. Pulse oximetry (PO) can capture these two variables but low peripheral perfusion, patient motion and the presence of ambient lighting can challenge the technology. New generation pulse oximeters claim to measure through these conditions.