Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy in Traumatic Brain Injury
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Near Infra RED Cerebral Spectroscopy in the DIrection And early MONitoring of therapy in patients with traumatic brain injury
IRAS ID
144979
Contact name
David J Davies
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
RRK4988, University Hospital Birmingham Research and Development Resistration Number; ERN_13-1013, University of Birmingham Study Registration Number
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 8 days
Research summary
Cerebral near infra red spectrometery (NIRS) presents an exciting non invasive modality of monitoring individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although the technology has been commercially available for over 2 decades it has previously thought as being inadequate in terms of accuracy and ability to interpret the results. Recent advances and refinements in the technology are overcoming the previous shortcomings of NIRS, and its potential for monitoring in the context of TBI is exciting. It works much like the oxygen saturation probe commonly placed on the fingers of patients receiving respiratory monitoring, and detects the oxygen saturation of brain haemoglobin using light. The probe is simply placed on the skin of the forehead.
Currently all mainstream established methods of monitoring within the context of TBI, and involve drilling holes in the skull and placing wires into the brain substance; these techniques have obvious disadvantages and carry a risk of morbidity. It is our aim to use a latest generation CE marked NIRS probe and to process the raw data obtained from this with state of the art computer technology and mathematical analysis (At the University of Birmingham) to provide more accurate detail and resolution of the NIRS data. We will be comparing the accuracy and phasing of this data with the established routine invasive technologies such as intra cranial pressure monitors (ICP), brain tissue oxygen tension sensors (PbtO2), and metabolic data from tissue micro-dialysis (tiny amounts of tissue fluid analysed for information on brain metabolism) as well as clinical, radiological and blood based biomarkers of brain trauma. All these methods of monitoring are currently routine practice in the management of TBI.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EE/0165
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion