OTHER NAMES

• Oxygen saturation,
• Monitoring of the oxygenation.

DEFINITION

The pulse oximetría or pulsioximetría is the measurement, not invasive, of the oxygen transported by the hemoglobin inside the blood glasses.

HOW DOES IT WORK

The color of the blood changes depending on it saturated of oxygen that is, due to the optical properties of the group hemo of the hemoglobin molecule. When the hemoglobin molecule liberates oxygen it loses his pink color, acquiring a more bluish tone and allows to spend less the red light.

So the pulsioxímetro determines the oxygen saturation measuring espectrofotométricamente the "grade" of blue of the arterial and express blood these "azulez" in saturation terms. Since the absorption of light of the textiles and of the venous blood they are constant, any change in the absorption of the light between a given time and the later one they owe exclusively to the arterial blood. The pulsioxímetros measure so the relation, in a time interval, between the differences of absorption of the red lights and infrared. This relation links straight with the oxihemoglobina saturation.

SKILL OF ACHIEVEMENT

One is necessary a pulsioximetría device, with a sensor in the shape of tweezer. In the tweezer it has a producer of light that is reflected in the pile of the fleshy part of the finger, this sensor measures the quantity of light absorbed by the circulating oxihemoglobina in the patient.

• Oxygen saturation index
• Cardiac frequency
• Curve of the pulse

LIMITATIONS OF THE PULSIOXIMETRÍA

• Alterations of the hemoglobin (MetHb or COHb).
• Colourings and pigments in the area of reading (identical fingernails).
• Sources of external light.
• Peripheral Hipoperfusión.
• Anemia.
• Increase of the venous pulse.
• It does not detect hiperóxia.
• It does not detect hypoventilation.

INDICATIONS

In general they are useful in the patients' care in which an alteration is foreseen in the oxygenation or to value determined therapeutic:

• Respiratory Distress in the asthma.
• Cianosis.
• Tolerance evaluation to the exercise.
• Evaluation or control of oxygen therapy.
• Etc...

USE

1. First of all there will have to be obtained information about the correct use of every model, and if it is a precise knowledge to adapt the needs that we have to the correct model, since on the market there are many different models with a wide fan of possibilities of work across different programs.
2. To eliminate fingernails paintings in case of using thimble sensors.
3. It will be explained to the patient of whom the measurement consists, insisting on the need to move the minimum the finger and not to displace the sensor.
4. To realize the measurement far from an important source of light, foci, etc.
5. In case of realiza continuous measurements for the long time to change, at least every 8 hours, of location, to avoid injuries of the skin.
6. The paper clip sensors must not compress in excess, since it might alter the measurement.

The Oxygen saturation must be major than 95 %.

EVALUATION OF ABNORMAL RESULTS

Developing values of the saturation of oxygen:

• Chronic pulmonary illnesses.
• Descompensación or crisis of asthma.
• Cardiac illnesses.

TO SEE ALSO

• Red globules. Eritrocitos
• Hemoglobin
• Thrombocytes

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