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The response times during anaesthesia of pulse oximeters measuring oxygen saturations during hypoxaemic events
Author(s) -
BROOME I. J.,
HARRIS R. W.,
REILLY C. S.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1992.tb01945.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , methohexital , propofol
Summary Episodes of desaturation were recorded simultaneously by computer from two Ohmeda Biox 3700 pulse oximeters, one with an ear and one with a finger probe, on patients undergoing anaesthesia. Over a period of 6 months, 28 episodes of desaturation were detected. Analysis of the recordings showed the mean minimum saturations recorded for ear and finger probes were 86.3% and 83.5% respectively (p < 0.01). The mean delay for finger compared to ear pulse oximetry was 4.4 s (p < 0.01). Analysis at different saturation levels showed finger probe responses to be significantly slower than ear probe responses at saturations equal to and above 91% (p < 0.05). At saturation levels of 90% or less no significant difference in probe response times were found.