"The use of diffuse optics for improved neuroprotection in congenital heart disease"

Abstract:

Neonates born with critical congenital heart disease (CHD) are at an increased risk for neurologic injury, however there is a lack of standard of care for neuromonitoring during the critical perioperative time-period of these patients.  Advanced diffuse optical spectroscopy techniques offer the promising ability noninvasively quantify cerebral oxygen delivery and utilization continuously during this high-risk period.

Over a series of investigations, we have demonstrated the ability of hybrid frequency-domain diffuse optical spectroscopy (FD-DOS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) to predict periods if increased neurologic risk. Specifically, we have used these techniques to identify pre-operative, operative, and post-operative risk factors for neurologic injury in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. Our findings underscore the transformative potential of diffuse optical technologies in advancing neuromonitoring capabilities in neonates with critical CHD.

Biography:

Jennifer M. Lynch, MD PhD is a pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesiology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research is in the field of diffuse optics with a specific focus on the development and use of noninvasive neuromonitoring devices to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with cardiac disease.