Venous oxygen measurements in the inferior vena cava in neonates with respiratory failure

The present study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of venous oxygen measurements in the inferior vena cava (IVC) via a catheter through the umbilical vein. This may serve as a proxy for mixed venous oxygenation and the complications of right atrial cannulation can be avoided at the same time. It has the added advantage of not being affected by atrial right-left shunting.

The study included 22 neonates requiring mechanical ventilation for respiratory insufficiency. The success rate of catheterization of the IVC via the umbilical vein was 81% and there was no catheter-related complications. Fifty paired blood samples were obtained and analyzed while the patients were hemodynamically stable. Linear regression analysis showed a poor correlation between arterial oxygen tension (PaO₂) and the arterial-venous oxygen content difference [C(a–v)O₂], r = -0.005, and between PaO₂ and the fractional oxygen extraction (FOE), r = -0.114. There was also a poor correlation between arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) and C(a–v)O₂, r = -0.057, and between SaO₂ and FOE, r =-0.139. The correlations between venous oxygen tension (PvO₂) and C(a–v)O₂ and between PvO₂ and FOE were r = -0.528 and r = 0.592, respectively. There were good correlations between various oxygen saturation (SvO₂) and C(a–v)O₂, r = -0.634, and between SvO₂ FOE, r = -0.712.

Venous oxygen measurement in the IVC via an umbilical vein catheter is a simple and safe procedure and provides information about the tissue oxygenation status of critically ill neonates.