Pulse oximetry from the nasal septum.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the accuracy of the nasal septum site for pulse oximetry measurement of arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) in hypothermic patients.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Operating theater of a public hospital.


METHODS
Fourteen hypothermic (temperature 34.6 degrees C to 36 degrees C) patients (eight males and six females) undergoing a major surgical abdominal procedure.


METHODS
Fifty estimations of SpO2 were simultaneously made by a flex sensor probe applied at the nasal septum site and by a finger sensor probe using a pulse oximeter. The results were compared with arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) as measured by arterial blood gas sampling.


RESULTS
In 18% of the estimations, the finger probe produced unmeasurable results. The nasal septum probe did not produce any unmeasurable results (p = 0.0055). In the remaining 41 estimations, a comparison of the measurements from the nasal septum versus the controls showed a mean difference of 0.15 and a limit of agreement of -0.106 to +0.398. A comparison difference of 2.27 and a limit of agreement of 1.986 to 2.551.


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring SpO2 at the nasal septum site is more reliable than monitoring it at the finger site in hypothermic patients.
Ezri
T
T
Department of Anesthesia, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel.
Lurie
S
S
Konichezky
S
S
Soroker
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum; D010092:Oximetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D010100:Oxygen