Pulse oximeter Definition Indication Contraindication Types Complication

2.  Pulse oximeters measure how much of the hemoglobin in blood is
carrying oxygen (oxygen saturation).
 Pulse oximeters are in common use because they are:
 Non invasive
 Cheap to buy and use
 Can be very compact
 Detects hypoxemia earlier than you using your eyes to see cyanosis.
 Oxygen is carried in our blood is by means of hemoglobin.

3.  Pulse oximetry uses light to measure oxygen saturation. Light beams go
through your finger into a light detector on the other side of the pulse
oximeter. Some of the light beams will make it through the finger, while
others will absorb into the finger.
 The amount of light that the finger absorbs depends on several factors:
 The concentration of the substance that’s in between the light beams and
the light detector.
 The length of the light path in that substance.
 The amount of oxygenated hemoglobin.
 The amount of deoxygenation hemoglobin.

4. There are six main types of pulse oximeters:
 Fingertip
 Handheld
 Benchtop
 Phone-based
 Wearable (e.g. watches)
 Multimodal (e.g. integrated into other types of monitors)

5. Purpose of pulse oximeter
 Measures the arterial oxygen
saturation of hemoglobin.
 To relieve cyanosis by detecting
hypoxia and severe respiratory
failure.
 Access the effectiveness of oxygen
administration.

6. When do you need pulse oximetry?
1. If you have hypoxia
2. If you have respiratory complaints
3. In order to monitor oxygen levels
4. To monitor the effectiveness of oxygen therapy
5. If you have sleep apnea
6. If you are sedated
7. If you are hemodynamically unstable

7. Contraindications of pulse oximetry:
1) Intravenous dyes
2) Skin pigmentation
3) External interference
4) Nail painting/polish
5) Irregular signals
6) Hemoglobin deficiency
7) Carbon monoxide
8) Blood volume deficiency

8. Pulse oximeters measure blood oxygen levels and heart rate. They're used for:
 Medical Monitoring: In hospitals, clinics, and homes for patients with
respiratory issues.
 Physical Activity: Athletes track oxygen levels during workouts.
 High Altitude: Travelers monitor oxygen in high-altitude areas.
 Sleep Apnea: Diagnosing and managing sleep disorders.
 Chronic Conditions: Tracking health over time.
 Home Monitoring: Periodic health checks at home.
 COVID-19 Monitoring: Monitoring respiratory health, especially during the
pandemic

9.  Generally we measured on various sites like:
 Fingers
 Nose
 Toes
 Ear (Pinna)
 Forehead
 Infants
 Sole
 Palm
 Big toe or thumb.

10. The pulse oximeter gives inaccurate reading in following conditions:
 Cyanosis
 Anemia
 Incorrect placement
 Abnormal hemoglobin
 Poor peripheral perfusion
 Movement
 Colored dyes
 Optical shunting
 Room light
 Injury or infection
 Calibration