A cotside microcomputer monitoring system for use in the neonatal intensive care unit.

A dedicated cotside microcomputer unit is described. It is designed to collect and to display graphically all continuously recorded variables from an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit. The data are collected from existing monitoring equipment and the graphical displays demonstrate both short and long term trends in data. In addition, the system allows data collected intermittently to be entered on a simple keyboard and to be displayed on plots that are time-correlated with the on-line data displays. A permanent record of the monitoring interval may be generated and the facility for closed-loop control of the partial pressure of arterial oxygen is being developed for integration into the system.