Clinical studies are required to validate the hepatic NIRS monitor with other regional and global hemodynamic parameters and to evaluate its clinical use for continuous non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring. Using newer NIRS sensors the correlation between hepatic regional oxygen saturation and hepatic venous oxygen saturation (SvHO2) needs to be determined. If found to correlate then the NIRS can be used to evaluate early liver transplant failure and/or hepatic artery thrombosis, used as an early marker for shock, and necrotizing enterocolitis, and finally used in the outpatient setting to evaluate patients with chronic liver pathologies. If our validation study finds that NIRS monitors are an appropriate marker of hepatic venous saturation then it will lead to further clinical studies.