Cerebral oxygenation saturation in childhood: difference by age and comparison of two cerebral oximetry algorithms.

Few reports are available on the monitoring of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO) in pediatric patients undergoing non-cardiac surgical procedures. In addition, no study has examined the rSO levels in children of a broad age range. In this study, we aimed to assess and compare rSO levels in pediatric patients of different age groups undergoing non-cardiac surgery. We used two oximeters, tNIRS-1, which uses time-resolved spectroscopy, and conventional INVOS 5100C. Seventy-eight children-26 infants, 26 toddlers, and 26 schoolchildren-undergoing non-cardiac surgery were included. We investigated the differences in the rSO levels among the age groups and the correlation between the models and physiological factors influencing the rSO values. rSO measured by INVOS 5100C was significantly lower in infants than those in other patients. rSO measured by tNIRS-1 was higher in the toddler group than those in the other groups. The rSO values of tNIRS-1 and INVOS 5100C were moderately correlated (r = 0.41); however, those of INVOS 5100C were approximately 20% higher, and a ceiling effect was observed. The values in INVOS 5100C and tNIRS-1 were affected by blood pressure and the minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane, respectively. In pediatric patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery, rSO values differed across the three age groups, and the pattern of these differences varied between the two oximeters employing different algorithms. Further research must be conducted to clarify cerebral oxygenation in children.