Continous monitoring of central venous oxygen saturation in children and infants.

Maintenance of adequate tissue oxygenation is an important task in intensive care units. There are many variables which are measured for this purpose. Central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) monitoring has some advantages over the mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) monitoring in children and infants as there is no need to insert a pulmonary catheter. The clinical usefulness seems promising.