Microcirculation – a tool for the study of pain in neonates and infants?

The relationship between pain and the newborn’s microcirculation has been a poorly understood field of research. Introduction of orthogonal polarization spectral (OPS) imaging and sidestream dark field (SDF) imaging to clinical medicine has opened a new field of monitoring and target treatment in various neonatal diseases and states. The non-invasiveness and safety of these bedside technologies make them very favorable in bringing us closer to a better understanding of the impact of pain on the newborn’s microcirculation. Early and long term impact of neonatal/infant pain syndrome, current tools of pain assessment in neonates and infants as well as infant microcirculation will be discussed.