There are different types of oximeter available used in various conditions. For the enhanced study of the oximeter, a thorough understanding of basic physics and electronics is required.
The oximeter can be used by healthy sports professionals, as well as many pathological conditions, such as intensive care units in health centers.
Oximeters are of 4 varieties namely pulse oximeter, handheld oximeter, fetal oximeter and bedside oximeter.
A pulse oximeter is the most portable and can be used at home to monitor oxygen saturation. It is shaped like a crocodile clip and is placed on the finger or on the earlobe. The display screen is in the clip.
Infrared light passes through the veins and this can measure the difference between oxygenated and deoxygenated blood cells. The pulse oximeter may not give the correct reading if there is a blood clot or if the hand is cold.
Pulse oximeter parts and functions
Oximeters work on this principle of different light absorption and emission of the T and R configurations.
The oximeter uses an electronic processor and a pair of small light-emitting diodes (LEDs) facing a photodiode through a translucent part of the patient’s body, usually a fingertip or earlobe.
One LED is red, with a wavelength of 660nm, and the other is infrared, with a wavelength of 940nm.
Light absorption at these wavelengths differs significantly between oxygen-laden blood and oxygen-starved blood.
Oxygenated hemoglobin absorbs more infrared light and allows more red light to pass through.
Deoxygenated hemoglobin allows more infrared light to pass through and absorbs more red light.
Principle of pulse oximeter
Oximeters work according to the principles of spectrophotometry: the relative absorption of red (absorbed by deoxygenated blood) and infrared (absorbed by oxygenated blood) light of the systolic component of the absorption waveform correlates with blood oxygen saturations arterial.
Relative light absorption measurements are made multiple times each second and processed by the machine to give a new reading every 0.5 to 1 second that averages the readings from the last three seconds.
Pulse oximeter mechanism
The principal advantage of optical sensors for medical applications is their intrinsic safety since there is no electrical contact between the patient and the equipment. An added bonus is that they are also less suspect of electromagnetic interference.
This has given rise to a variety of optical techniques to monitor physiological parameters: for example, the technique of Laser Doppler velocimetry to measure red blood cell velocity.
However, we will concentrate on the technique of pulse oximetry for the non−invasive measurement of arterial oxygen saturation in the blood.
For patients at risk of respiratory failure, it is important to monitor the efficiency of gas exchange in the lungs, ie how well the arterial blood is oxygenated, as opposed to whether or not air is going in and out of the lungs.
Preferably, such information should be available to clinicians on a continuous basis, rather than every few hours.
Both of these requirements can be met non−invasively with the technology of pulse oximetry.
The technique is now well established and is in regular clinical use during anesthesia and intensive care, especially neonatal intensive care since many premature infants undergo some form of ventilator therapy.
Pulse oximetry is also being used in the monitoring of pulmonary disease in adults and in the investigation of sleep disorders.
Watch Pulse Oximeter
is a practical and useful pulse oximeter monitor for home use by people suffering from respiratory problems.
FDA approved pulse oximeter
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Pulse Oximeter made in the USA
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Pulse Oximeter How it works?
The pulse oximeter will thus be able to tell you your oxygen saturation levels along with your heart rate.