Researchers at the University of Rochester are making strides in developing new methods to monitor brain physiology and prevent neurological complications in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy. The therapy, which involves circulating a patient’s blood through a machine to support heart and lung function, is crucial for individuals with acute heart or lung failure but carries risks, including brain injury.
Regine Choe, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, and Imad Khan, an assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery, have spearheaded the development of non-invasive techniques to monitor the brain’s health during ECMO therapy. Choe explains, “Using near-infrared light, we can non-invasively evaluate blood flow about one centimeter into the brain tissue.” By combining electroencephalography (EEG) to study electrical activity with a new optical method called diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) to measure brain-blood flow, the researchers aim to gain valuable insights into brain health.
The researchers have already tested their approach on over 20 patients and recently secured a National Institutes of Health grant to further refine their method. They plan to expand their monitoring to different brain regions and incorporate the data collected to optimize ECMO therapy. Mark Marinescu, an assistant professor of clinical medicine, highlights the potential impact of this innovation on patient care, stating, “It would be really helpful to be able to predict if they are neurologically going to do okay afterwards.”
The project’s ultimate goal is to create a low-cost instrument that combines multiple monitoring modalities for clinical trials. By providing clinicians with more comprehensive data on brain health and function during ECMO therapy, the researchers hope to improve patient outcomes and facilitate informed decision-making for medical teams and families alike.
