PULSE OXIMETRY

DEFINITION: Pulse oximetry is a non invasive method allowing the monitoring of the oxygenation of a patients hemoglobin A pulse oximeter is a medical device that indirectly monitors the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood (as opposed to measuring oxygen saturation directly through a blood sample) and changes in blood volume in the skin, producing a photoplethysmograph. Plethysmographic trace (Pleth)

Pulse oximeters often show the pulsatile change in absorbance in a graphical form. This is called the "plethysmographic trace or more conveniently, as "Pleth".

How does a Pulse Oximeter Work?

The measurements are obtained by simply shining two wavelengths of light (1 is a visible red beam, the other an invisible infrared beam) at e.g. the fingertip.

TYPES OF PULSE OXIMETERS

Desktop

Finger/mobile

Pulse Oximeters may be used in patients:

Undergoing surgical procedure under general anesthesia Undergoing surgical procedure under conscious sedation Emergency situations like loss of consciousness, trauma etc. After surgery during the recovery phase In the ICU, Pulse Oximetry is used extensively on mechanically ventilated patients Pulse Oximeters are routinely used in certain hospital wards and in casualty departments for immediate assessment of patients

Pulse Oximeter reading may not be accurate: Venous congestion (partial obstruction of the veins) of an arm or leg Reduced peripheral pulsatile blood flow Bright overhead lights, such as in an operating theatre Shivering or significant, repeated movement of the sensor Pulse oximetry struggles to distinguish between different forms of hemoglobin, such as carboxy-hemoglobin Nail varnish may cause falsely low readings with most pulse Oximeters, especially those colored blue or black

Anemia & Jaundice wont affect the Pulse Oximeter reading. Normal Reading: A fit, healthy person should have an oxygen saturation level between 95% & 99%. Results lower than this, and especially below 90% may be caused by problems including lung diseases, such as COPD, breathing difficulties, cigarette smoking or circulatory problems such as excessive bleeding or blood vessel problems. What happens to the pulse Oximeter reading of a patient immediately after a cardiac arrest? The pulse would be lost (causing the alarm to sound) and the saturations will decrease