Microcirculatory dysfunction in sepsis.

Septic shock is a common and deadly disease that traditionally has been diagnosed and treated by evaluation and optimization of global hemodynamic indices. However, microcirculatory dysfunction is a critically important element in the pathophysiology of this disease. New techniques of in vivo video microscopy permit the assessment of microcirculatory function in human subjects. With the advent of these techniques, the microcirculation may represent a new frontier for developing novel therapies for sepsis.