Clinical microdialysis: Current applications and potential use in drug development

Biochemical and pharmacological events usually take place in the tissue and not in the bloodstream. However, diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in medical practice are still generally based on blood levels of drugs and/or endogenous molecules. Microdialysis is a catheter-based sampling method that enables in vivo measurement of tissue chemistry in humans. The technique is semi-invasive and is feasible in virtually every human organ. It is currently being used to monitor brain ischemia and metabolic control, transdermal drug distribution and tissue pharmacokinetics, and might become an important tool in drug monitoring and drug development in the future.