title: Validation of pulse oximetry for monitoring of hypoxaemic episodes in the late postoperative period.
abstract: We monitored 12 patients undergoing major abdominal surgery using a pulse oximeter (Nellcor N-200) and a transcutaneous oxygen tension monitor (TINA, Radiometer A/S) on the second or third night after operation. Of the shortest hypoxaemic episodes measured with the pulse oximeter (< or = 30 s duration), 78% also occurred in the transcutaneous oxygen tension measurement. Episodes of longer duration (> or = 1 min duration on the pulse oximeter) were, in 95% of cases, reflected in the transcutaneous oxygen tension measurement also. Thus postoperative episodic desaturations lasting > or = 1 min are at least 95% likely to be a real phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stausholm
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenberg-Adamsen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edvardsen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kehlet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D010092:Oximetry; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors