title: Pulse oximetry in the recovery room.
abstract: Haemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO2) was measured percutaneously with a pulse oximeter, in a group of 150 healthy ambulant volunteers to determine the range of normal values. The measuring site was not arterialised in advance. SO2 was below 94% in 13.3% of cases, while in no case was it below 90%. SO2 was then measured in 350 patients in the recovery room after a variety of surgical and anaesthetic procedures. Only 1.1% of patients who received additional oxygen following general anaesthesia exhibited an SO2 below 90%, compared to 16.7% of similar cases who did not receive additional oxygen. Administration of additional oxygen raised the SO2 above 90% in all the latter cases. In only 55.3% of those who did not receive additional oxygen was the SO2 above 94%, compared to 86.7% of normal volunteers and 73.9% of patients who received additional oxygen. This study reiterates the need to administer supplemental oxygen to all patients in the recovery room, unless facilities are available to measure SO2. A lower alarm limit of 90% is appropriate for the peri-operative period when using the Criticare Systems 501 oximeter.
authors.affiliation: Instituut voor Anesthesiologie, Sint Radboud Ziekenhuis, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Canning
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Crul
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000758:Anesthesia; D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011997:Recovery Room
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen