Prof. Clive May, Head of the Pre-clinical Critical Care Unit, Florey Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia

Having first bought into our tissue monitoring platform in 2014, Prof. May’s laboratory has now amassed a total of THREE monitor sets, setting a record for any single research laboratory and representing a vote of confidence of which we are hugely proud.

The OxyLite Pro XL is a four-channel tissue dissolved oxygen and temperature monitor, while our OxyFlo Pro XL device is a four-channel, laser Doppler based monitor for measuring tissue blood perfusion. Both can be used in concert to generate simultaneous and real-time measurements of physiological tissue oxygen, temperature and blood perfusion from single, combined optical micro-sensors.

Prof. May’s laboratory is investigating the causes of acute kidney injury in sepsis and following cardiopulmonary bypass. For the long-term monitoring of tissue perfusion and oxygenation required for these studies, they have developed techniques to chronically implant Oxford Optronix probes in the renal cortex and medulla (1, 2). They have also recently developed a technique to implant these probes chronically in the brain.

Commenting on his latest commitment Prof. May said: “Oxford Optronix technology has given us the unique ability to reliably measure tissue perfusion and oxygenation in the kidney and brain over days and even weeks (3, 4, 5). These studies have given us important insights into the causes of acute renal failure and cognitive impairment induced by sepsis and cardiopulmonary bypass that may lead to improved treatments.”

1. Calzavacca P, Evans RG, Bailey M, Lankadeva YR, Bellomo R, May CN. Long-term measurement of renal cortical and medullary tissue oxygenation and perfusion in unanesthetized Sheep. American Journal of Physiology 308: R832-9; 2015.

2. WEBINAR: Measuring Tissue Perfusion and PO2 in Conscious Animals to Investigate Organ Failure

3. Lankadeva YR, Kosaka J, Evans RG, Bailey SR, Bellomo R, May CN. Intra-renal and urinary oxygenation during norepinephrine resuscitation in ovine septic acute kidney injury. Kidney International 90:100-8; 2016.

4. Lankadeva YR, Kosaka J, Evans RG, Bellomo R, May CN. Urinary oxygenation as a surrogate measure of medullary oxygenation during angiotensin II therapy in septic acute kidney injury. Critical Care Medicine 46: e41-e48; 2018

5. Lankadeva YR, Cochrane AD, Marino B, Iguchi N, Hood SG, Bellomo R, May CN, Evans RG. Strategies to improve renal medullary oxygenation during experimental cardiopulmonary bypass. Kidney International 95: 1338–1346; 2019.

View all spotlight articles