Monitoring the neonate: Practical considerations

Abstract

Comprehensive, accurate, timely, and absolutely reliable monitoring is an essential objective for the safe and successful management of the surgical neonate. This chapter describes and discusses methods for perioperative monitoring of the cardiorespiratory, neurological, and metabolic state of the neonate. The monitors described vary from the simple and noninvasive to the complex and invasive. The selection of the extent of monitoring required for any individual patient will depend upon the severity of the surgical illness and the proposed surgery.