NIH Reporter #5R01NS122119-05

Development of quantitative optical tools to continuously monitor cerebral autoregulation, blood flow, oxygenation and inflammation during pediatric extracorporeal life support

This NIH research grant funds the development of non-invasive optical monitoring tools to predict and prevent neurological injury in pediatric patients undergoing ECMO, aiming to reduce mortality and long-term neurological deficits.

Description

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) prevents death by supporting the failing heart or lungs and allowing time to heal; -1/3 of ECMO patients do not survive and major neurological injury is common in survivors, leading to long-term neurological deficits. The resulting financial cost and reduction in quality of life place enormous burdens on patients, their families, and society. There are currently no brain monitors which allow clinicians to dynamically adjust ECMO parameters to prevent neurologic injury; the proposed research will demonstrate that continuous quantitative optical monitors of cerebral autoregulation predict neurological injury and inflammation, enabling future development of neuroprotective ECMO protocols.

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