Application of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Monitoring of Cerebral Oxygenation and Its Limitation

Abstract

  Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive, real-time method for monitoring cerebral oxygenation. We used in three cases to detect brain ischemia intraoperatively. We successfully monitored cerebral oxygenation during a carotid endarterectomy and an endovascular repair of an aortic arch aneurysm. In the third case, NIRS revealed no abnormal patterns of cerebral oxygenation during an aortic arch replacement. Nevertheless, this case was complicated by the locked-in syndrome postoperatively. In conclusion, NIRS monitoring is useful for the detection of regional cerebral oxygenation, but it does not reflect cerebral oxygenation in all areas. This limitation should be noted when NIRS is applied to intraoperative monitoring of cerebral oxygenation.