Phoenix Children’s is one of a small number of centers in the United States that have integrated intensive care multimodal monitoring (MMM) into our patient care. Multimodal monitoring is the continuous, real-time evaluation of brain and systemic functions in critically ill patients. This technology provides physicians with information about multiple neurological and physiological changes in patients who have serious neurological injuries or are at risk of such injury. MMM can lead to improved outcomes in brain-injured patients and those who are at risk for brain injury. It is recognized as an important and emerging tool in neurocritical care.

Benefits of Multimodal Monitoring

MMM is a state-of-the-art technology that helps physicians better understand real-time brain physiology in critically ill patients. It is considered to be an extension of the clinical exam, and it helps guide physicians to the following goals:

  • Individualizing decisions about patient care and patient management
  • Detecting early neurological decline before irreversible brain damage begins
  • Monitoring responses to therapies in order to avoid adverse effects
  • Improving neurological outcomes and quality of life in people with severe brain injuries

Multimodal Monitoring at Phoenix Children’s

At Phoenix Children’s, we use a variety of unique hardware and software tools that allow us to assess cerebrovascular autoregulation, cortical function and brain compliance. In addition, we routinely monitor patients with advanced liver failure and encephalopathy, for whom invasive probes may be prohibited.

We also use MMM to monitor:

  • Intracranial pressure (ICP)
  • Brain tissue oxygen tension
  • Cerebral blood flow
  • Cerebral regional oximetry with near infrared spectroscopy
  • Continuous electroencephalography
  • Computerized quantitative and qualitative pupil assessment (pupillometry)

We use this data to better understand how well our treatments strategies are working on a minute-to-minute basis.