Simulation of arterial oxygenation in the neonate

This paper describes a mathematical model of neonatal oxygenation. Model inputs include the respiratory rate, tidal volume, physiologic shunt, and inspired concentrations of O₂ and CO₂. Model outputs include arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) and the arterial, venous, and alveolar contents and partial pressures of O ₂ and CO₂. We envision using the model in simulations to assess the ability of alternative algorithms for automatic control of oxygen delivery to deal with the challenges posed by rapid changes in the shunt and respiratory efforts of the neonate