Cerebral and renal monitoring in children undergoing cardiac surgery
Cerebral and renal monitoring in children undergoing cardiac surgery
Congenital heart disease is one of the most common birth defects and often requires complex heart surgery early in life. Although survival has improved significantly over the past decades, many children remain at risk of complications affecting vital organs such as the brain and kidneys. A major challenge for clinicians is to detect early signs of organ stress during and around surgery.
This PhD research of Marco Modestini focuses on the use of non-invasive monitoring techniques to better understand and detect organ vulnerability in children undergoing congenital heart surgery. In particular, the studies investigated the role of Doppler ultrasound during pregnancy and near-infrared spectroscopy during and after surgery to monitor oxygen levels in organs such as the brain and kidneys.
The results suggest that part of the vulnerability of these organs may already be present before surgery and that continuous monitoring can provide valuable information about the physiological reserve of the organs. Rather than directly measuring organ damage, these technologies may help identify children who are more vulnerable and at higher risk of complications.
In the future, combining non-invasive monitoring with predictive models may help clinicians better tailor treatment and improve outcomes for children with congenital heart disease.