In Situ Detection Of Tissular Respiration Arrest By NADH Laser Fluorimetry

The continuous measurement of intratissular NADH concentration allows early detection of cellular respiration arrest during clinical situations, i.e. allows a non-destructive, in situ, continuous measurement of ATP formation. This detection enables the physician or surgeon to intervene during a phase of cellular respiration arrest, before structural cellular alterations occur, thereby preventing potential tissular necrosis. The method has now been validated in experimental cardiac surgery for the monitoring of myocardial preservation techniques in cardiopulmonary by-pass and in cardiac pharmacology. Its industrial development is currently under way. Preliminary investigation strongly suggest the vast potentials of this diagnostic method in both clinical and experimental fields.