The causes of hypoxaemia in children include the commonest causes of childhood illness: pneumonia and other acute respiratory infections, and neonatal illness, particularly sepsis, low birthweight, birth asphyxia and aspiration syndromes. The systematic use of pulse oximetry to monitor and treat children in resource-poor developing countries, when coupled with a reliable oxygen supply, improves...

Assessment of oxyhemoglobin saturation in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) is vital for prompt recognition of hypoxemia. The accuracy of pulse oximeter measurements of blood oxygenation in SCD patients is variable, partially due to carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (MetHb), which decrease the oxygen content of blood. This study evaluated the accuracy and reliability of a non-inv...

Pulse oximetry (Spo2) is a simple, noninvasive method that is widely used to determine oxygen saturation in patients undergoing surgical procedures. Artificial acrylic nails have recently become fashionable to strengthen and lengthen nails. This study investigates the effect of unpolished acrylic nails on the measurement of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry. Data were collected during a 3-mon...

Pulse oximetry is as a non-invasive photometric technique that provides non-invasively information about the global arterial blood oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) and heart rate, and has widespread clinical applications. This can be made possible via the peripheral pulse oximetry probes mainly attached to the finger, toe or earlobe. However, there is a need for monitoring perfusion on a more regional...

The use of supplemental oxygen plays a vital role in the care of the critically ill preterm infant, but the unrestricted use of oxygen can lead to unintended harms, such as chronic lung disease and retinopathy of prematurity. An overly restricted use of supplemental oxygen may have adverse effects as well. Ideally, continuous monitoring of tissue and cellular oxygen delivery would allow clinici...

Although pulse oximetry is a widely accepted and frequently used tool, the reporting and reimbursement of the three related codes, 94760, 94761, and 94762, are often confusing. This commonly used noninvasive tool is a useful adjunct to medical care, but it is not always reimbursed separately. Sometimes referred to as the "fifth vital sign," along with BP, heart rate, temperature, and respiratio...