Índice de perfusión periférica en la UCI neonatal: una respuesta a la monitorización no invasiva del recién nacido crítico

The need to address and monitor patients minimally invasively, but more accurately, and thereby reducing the number of complications, has led to developing the concept of perfusion index over the years. The perfusion index reflects the peripheral vasomotor tone, due to the relationship of pulsatile and non-pulsatile waves through a pulse oximeter. The newborn, especially pre-term, have a number of features that make them more vulnerable to certain clinical situations, as such that the physiological response differs from that of other population groups. Hence, the main interest in this new tool, which would help in the understanding of the complex neonatal cardiovascular physiology and thus better interpret their response in order to make timely interventions. The following article presents the history and physiological basis that helped develop the perfusion index, as well as describing the most recent studies in the neonatal population.