This whitepaper explores how clinicians balance protecting the fragile, developing brains and lungs of premature infants in the NICU. This process is a delicate tightrope walk in which CO2 plays a key role.

Sentec transcutaneous technology overcomes many of the current limitations and challenges associated with CO2 measurement in the NICU by providing accurate, continuous, noninvasive CO2 values regardless of ventilation method or V/Q mismatch.

Sentec transcutaneous technology overcomes limits of pulse oximetry, arterial blood draws and capnography with continuous CO2 monitoring that combines ease of use and patient comfort, with accurate values regardless of ventilation method or ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) mismatch, and product features designed for sleep care settings.

By overcoming the limitations of end-tidal CO2 and providing better compatibility with all modes of ventilation, transcutaneous CO2 monitoring helps clinicians assess patient condition and the efficacy of treatment and ventilatory support strategies.

Transcutaneous CO2 monitoring (tcPCO2) is considered by many neonatal teams to be standard of care in the NICU for intubated patients – but many children’s hospitals utilize this technology across many more patient types and care settings. This document explores tcPCO2 in clinical settings, demonstrating the impact that this technology can have throughout a children’s hospital.

How could transcutaneous CO2 monitoring support your sleep lab team? Get an overview of this technology's role in patient care and explore the Sentec monitoring system designed for sleep.

The Sentec suite of attachment options for transcutaneous CO2 monitoring allows care teams to confidently choose solutions that support the clinical priorities of each patient — across populations and care settings.

Learn more about how a level IV NICU team was recently successful in developing an all-encompassing strategy to drive consistent utilization of transcutaneous monitoring with the goal of improving patient care.

In NICUs, PICUs, and sleep labs around the world, transcutaneous monitoring has increasingly become a trusted tool for continuous, noninvasive CO2 measurement. The technology can help reduce the need for frequent blood draws, enable proactive ventilator management, and offer additional benefits as care teams support diverse patient populations.

In the NICU, closely monitoring carbon dioxide (CO2) levels is a crucial aspect of care for premature and critically ill infants — fluctuations in CO2 levels can disrupt cerebral blood flow, increasing the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), and other cerebral injuries.¹