Conclusion
In the quest for an absolute monitor of tissue oxygen utilisation the tonometer is, unfortunately, not the Holy Grail. However, the tonometer is commercially available and a practical monitor of gut mucosal perfusion for use in the peri-operative period. As the tonometer is not yet in general use we are faced with an ideal opportunity to audit its introduction, something we have failed to do for other clinical monitors.
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Mythen, M.G., Webb, A.R. The role of gut mucosal hypoperfusion in the pathogenesis of post-operative organ dysfunction. Intensive Care Med 20, 203–209 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01704701
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01704701