Clinical Research Directory

Submental Tissue Oxygenation and Arterial Lactate in Major Surgery

During major surgical procedures performed under general anesthesia, changes in blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues may occur due to blood loss, hemodynamic fluctuations, and anesthesia-related physiological effects. These changes can lead to impaired tissue perfusion, which is commonly reflected by increased arterial lactate levels. However, lactate measurements are intermittent and may not detect early perfusion abnormalities. This prospective observational study aims to investigate the relationship between submental tissue oxygenation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), microvascular reactivity assessed by the vascular occlusion test, and arterial lactate levels during major surgery. Adult patients undergoing major abdominal, neurosurgical, or orthopedic procedures will be monitored intraoperatively using non-invasive NIRS techniques, while arterial blood gas analyses will be performed as part of routine clinical care. The study does not involve any changes to standard anesthesia or surgical management. All treatments and clinical decisions will be made by the responsible care team according to routine practice. By evaluating non-invasive indicators of tissue oxygenation and microvascular function, this study aims to improve the understanding of early intraoperative tissue perfusion changes and their association with metabolic markers.

Reliability of Minimally Trained Operator's Velocity-Time Integral Measurement Guided by Artificial Intelligence VTI

Stroke volume is a major determinant of tissue perfusion and therefore a key parameter to monitor in patients with hemodynamic instability and hypoperfusion. Left Ventricular Outflow Tract (LVOT) Velocity-Time Integral (VTI) measured using pulsed wave Doppler is widely used as an estimation of stroke volume and should be a competence required for every Intensive Care Unit (ICU) physician. Recently, research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied to medical imaging constituted a breakthrough in the acquisition of images. The goal of the present study is to characterize and quantify the reliability and reproducibility of LVOT VTI measurements by comparing the measures obtained by minimally-trained operators and expert physicians, guided by UltraSight AI software.