An overview of
the INVOS™ technology
MedEd Learning Experience podcast
Our new MedEd podcast series provides brief, interview-style discussions with clinical experts. Our overview of the INVOS™ regional oximetry technology includes presentations from Dr. Ronald Bronicki, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Section of Critical Care Medicine & Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital and Eli Kuhlmann, Sr. Research Manager at Medtronic. The presentations includes topic such as the principles of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) monitoring, the development and validation of the INVOS™ technology, the influence of skin pigmentation on NIRS, and the interpretation and utility of cerebral or somatic oximetry in the clinical setting. The goal of this program is to get closer to the patient and delve into the challenges and impact of each technology in practice.
Part 1: How does spectroscopy work?
Eli Kuhlmann, Sr. Research Manager at Medtronic, teaches us how near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measures the concentration of hemoglobin in blood.
Podcast: 01 How does spectroscopy work with a focus on the INVOS™ technology? - (09:08)
Part 2: How does the INVOS™ monitor localize the oxygen saturation measurement?
Eli Kuhlmann, Sr. Research Manager at Medtronic, reviews how the INVOS™ monitor isolates the near infrared signal from the tissue of interest and prevents contamination from superficial tissue.
Podcast: 02 How does the INVOS™ monitor overcome the challenge of localizing the measurement of oxygen saturation? - (05:16)
Part 3: What are the advantages of NIRS oximetry?
Dr. Ronald Bronicki, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Section of Critical Care Medicine & Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital, discusses the advantages of NIRS oximetry compared to traditional approaches of monitoring cardiovascular function and tissue oxygenation.
Podcast: 03 What are the advantages of NIRS oximetry? - (05:44)
Part 4: How does the INVOS™ system determine optimal spacing and how has it been validated?
Eli Kuhlmann, Sr. Research Manager at Medtronic, demonstrates how the sensor spacing on the INVOS™ sensor maximizes the detection of the tissue of interest while suppressing the superficial tissue signal.
Podcast: 04 How does the INVOS™ system determine the optimal spacing and how it has been validated? - (04:34)
Part 5: What are the system design considerations for the INVOS™ system?
Eli Kuhlmann, Sr. Research Manager at Medtronic , reviews the design elements in the INVOS™ system that enhance its regional oximetry monitoring performance.
Podcast: 05 What are the system design considerations for the INVOS™ system? - (04:33)
Part 6: What are the principles of NIRS oximetry?
Ronald Bronicki, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Section of Critical Care Medicine & Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital, teaches us how NIRS uses near infrared light to monitor the percentage of oxygenated hemoglobin in the tissue 2–3 cm beneath the oximeter sensor.
Podcast: 06 What are the principles of NIRS oximetry? - (05:37)
Part 7: How is the INVOS™ algorithm developed for the pediatric population?
Eli Kuhlmann, Sr. Research Manager at Medtronic, describes how the INVOS™ system pediatric algorithm was developed in order to account for factors impacting regional oximetry measurements in pediatric patients.
Podcast: 07 How is the INVOS™ algorithm developed for the pediatric population? - (03:37)
Part 8: How can NIRS be interpreted?
Dr. Ronald Bronicki, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Section of Critical Care Medicine & Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital, presents how regional oximetry represents the balance between oxygen delivery and demand as well as the clinical factors that may influence regional tissue oxygenation.
Podcast: 08 How can NIRS be interpreted? - (11:10)
Part 9: What does the literature say about the NIRS oximetry?
Dr. Ronald Bronicki, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Section of Critical Care Medicine & Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital, reviews the body of literature evaluating the value of somatic and cerebral regional oximetry in pediatric patients.
Podcast: 09 What does the literature say about the NIRS oximetry? - (05:14)
Part 10: Does skin pigmentation impact NIRS readings?
Dr. Ronald Bronicki, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Section of Critical Care Medicine & Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital, discusses the influence skin pigmentation has on the accuracy of NIRS readings and consider the consequences for clinical practice.
Podcast: 10 Does melanin influence measurements for a two-wavelength system? - (06:13)
Part 11: Does melanin concentration impact NIRS readings?
Eli Kuhlmann, Sr. Research Manager at Medtronic, teaches us how the concentration of melanin influences the measurement regional oxygen saturation via NIRS.
Podcast: 11 Does skin pigmentation affect NIRS readings? - (06:45)
The INVOS™ monitoring system should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis or therapy and is intended only as an adjunct in patient assessment.