Advanced Neuromonitoring Accelerates Detection of Brain Damage in Newborns with Oxygen Deprivation

Every year, numerous infants experience oxygen deficiency during or immediately after birth, which can result in brain injury known as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Currently, the primary treatment to mitigate neurological damage is therapeutic hypothermia, which involves cooling the baby's body to slow brain activity and potentially limit injury. Despite its benefits, predicting the extent of brain damage and long-term outcomes remains challenging.

Traditionally, assessment of brain injury severity relies on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), typically performed around the fifth day of life, after the completion of treatment. While MRI provides detailed insights into the brain's condition, transporting fragile newborns out of intensive care to undergo imaging can be risky and time-consuming.

Recent research led by professors at the University of Montreal offers a breakthrough approach. Published in Scientific Reports, the study demonstrates that combining advanced bedside neuromonitoring tools—electroencephalography (EEG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)—allows clinicians to predict short-term clinical outcomes more rapidly and accurately without disrupting ongoing treatment.

In the study, 52 infants undergoing therapeutic hypothermia at CHU Sainte-Justine were monitored using these non-invasive technologies. EEG recorded electrical brain activity, while NIRS measured indicators of brain oxygenation and metabolism. Remarkably, the team was able to identify the severity of brain injury as early as the second day of treatment, significantly speeding up the evaluation process.

This integrated approach offers a crucial advantage: it eliminates the need to transport critically ill newborns for MRI scans, which can be risky. The bedside assessments provided reliable predictions of the injury’s severity, facilitating earlier decision-making for interventions. Additionally, by incorporating cerebral metabolism analysis, clinicians can now better differentiate moderate cases from mild or severe injuries—an area previously difficult to assess clinically.

The findings are a promising step toward improved neonatal care protocols, emphasizing early diagnosis and tailored treatment strategies. As Dr. Rasheda Chowdhury, the study’s lead author, highlights, "Early intervention is always better in neonatal intensive care. These techniques provide medical staff with immediate, quantitative indicators to identify at-risk newborns, supporting more informed and timely decisions."

This collaborative research effort underscores the potential of bedside neuromonitoring to transform how healthcare providers manage oxygen deprivation in newborns, ultimately enhancing outcomes and reducing long-term complications.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-lack-oxygen-birth-advanced-neuromonitoring.html