Use of Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy for Evaluation of the Trauma/Critically Care Patients

Trauma remains the leading cause of death and disability for Americans age 1-44. Trauma can cause internal bleeding, and this bleeding is often hard to detect without sophisticate tests that take time to complete and analyze. In addition, internal bleeding, including bleeding into the lung and chest cavity, as well as other blood loss, happens in many critically ill patients. For example, for hemorrhage, it is very difficult to detect active hemorrhage and to determine optimal rates of fluid and blood resuscitation. Diffuse optical spectroscopy has the potential to accurately assess adequacy of tissue perfusion, oxygenation, tissue oxygen extraction, and cytochrome oxidation states that may be critical to optimal treatment, end- organ preservation, and survival.