BACKGROUND One of the most important limitations of standard pulse oximeters is the inability to detect changes in respiratory rate until oxygenation is affected. This study sought to determine if analysis of the plethysmogram by wavelet transforms would enable the determination of changes in respiratory rate at an earlier stage. METHODS Ten healthy adult volunteers were monitored, breathing ...

We read with great interest the article by Aldrich et al 1 in this issue of CHEST (see page 1484 ). In 2003, we reported our trial of measuring noninvasive arterial saturation during a pulseless situation (cardiopulmonary bypass [CPB]) by inducing a simulated pulse. 2 We were interested in fi nding a way to obtain pulse oximeter function during CPB at the time because we had experienced a morta...

OBJECTIVE Do newborns, children and adolescents up to 19 years have lower mortality rates, lower morbidity and shorter length of stay in health facilities where pulse oximeters are used to inform diagnosis and treatment (excluding surgical care) compared with health facilities where pulse oximeters are not used? DESIGN Studies were obtained for this systematic literature review by systematica...

The use of the pulse oximeter to estimate oxygen saturation has revolutionized monitoring capabilities in medicine. However, there can be circumstances in which there is a discordance between oxygen saturation measurements via pulse oximeter (SpO2) and actual arterial oxygen levels (PaO2). In these situations, there is a possibility the patient could have a variant hemoglobin as the etiology of...

The photoplethysmographic waveform sits at the core of the most used, and arguably the most important, clinical monitor, the pulse oximeter. Interestingly, the pulse oximeter was discovered while examining an artifact during the development of a noninvasive cardiac output monitor. This article will explore the response of the pulse oximeter waveform to various modes of ventilation. Modern digit...

Pulse oximetry measures the relative concentration of arterial oxygenated hemoglobin and reduced hemoglobin. This paper presents the design of a pulse oximeter, which measures the presence of a third substance, carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO), by unfiltered LEDs at 660 nm, 810 nm, and 940 nm. Background information is given on the theory of pulse oximetry. Theoretical approximations and calculations w...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the efficacy of pulse oximeter as a pulp vitality tester. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample group consisted of 60 patients of age 15 to 30 years with normal maxillary anterior teeth. Thirty nonvital teeth with complete endodontic fillings were tested as control group. Systemic oxygen saturation values from the patient's fingers served as the control sample for comparison...

BACKGROUND Pulse oximetry is considered a standard of care in both the operating room and the postanesthetic care unit, and it is widely used in all critical care settings. Pulse oximeters may fail to provide valid SpO2 data in various situations that produce low signal-to-noise ratio. Motion artifact is a common cause of oximeter failure and loss of accuracy. This study compares the accuracy a...

BACKGROUND Measurement of oxygen saturation with a handheld pulse oximeter is widely practiced as a surrogate to invasive arterial blood gas analysis. Oxygen saturation is an important parameter in cases of COPD, but there are insufficient data on the role of pulse oximetry in patients with COPD, moreso in diseases across its spectrum, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. We assessed the p...