Finger Pulse Oximeter Procedure

Online, April 23, 2014 (Newswire.com) - What is Pulse Oximetry?

Pulse Oximetry is a procedure used to measure the oxygen level in the blood. It is considered to be a pain free, common signal of oxygen delivery to the side line cells such as finger or nose.

Reasons for the procedure

Pulse Oximetry may be conducted to evaluate the adequacy of oxygen levels in the blood in a variety of conditions such as surgery treatment, effectiveness of lung medications and patient tolerance to increased activity levels.

Before the Procedure

• Your physician will describe the process to you and offer you to be able to ask any concerns about the process.
• If a hand sensor / probe is to be used, you may be requested to eliminate hand nail enhance.
• Based on your medical problem, your physician may demand other particular preparation.

During the procedure

Generally, pulse Oximetry follows this process:
1. A clip-like system known as a sensor/ probe will be placed on your finger or earlobe. On the other hand, an adhesive probe may be placed on your forehead or finger.
2. The sensor/probe may be remaining on for ongoing tracking or only to acquire only one reading.
3. Unless you are to have ongoing tracking, the sensor/probe will be removed after the analyze.

After the procedure

You may continue your regular diet and activities unless your physician suggests you in a different way.
Generally, there is no extra care following pulse Oximetry. However, your physician may give you extra or different guidelines after the process, based on your particular scenario.

How does it Work?

Oxygen in the air is breathed into the lungs then passes into the blood where the majority of oxygen attaches to a protein located inside the red blood cell for transport in the bloodstream.

Pulse Oximetry utilizes the light absorptive technology of hemoglobin and the pulsating nature of blood flow for determining the oxygenation status in the body. The color of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen is bright red and without oxygen, is darker. There is a slight increase in the volume of blood flowing with each pulsation or heartbeat.

A clip called a probe is placed on a body part such as finger to measure the blood that is still carrying or is saturated with oxygen. One side of the probe has two different types of light, infrared or red, which are transmitted through the finger to the light detector side of probe and then microprocessor compares and calculates the differences between oxygen-rich versus oxygen-poor hemoglobin. This information helps the doctor to calculate the amount of oxygen which being carried in the blood.