The use of pulse oximetry in pediatric emergency department: Review

Abstract

Oxygen saturation is considered as the fifth vital sign especially in critically ill patients. The human eye is inadequate to assess and diagnose early hypoxia. Pulse oximetry devices were developed in 1900, still keeping actuality, permit to determine the oxygen saturation quickly without interference and pain in critically ill patients. Painful procedures, especially in children with respiratory distress, could lead to increase in respiratory effort and deepening in hypoxia. Recently, pulse oximetry devices are also used for cardiac screening in newborns. The devices are cheap, portable, readly available, and in different sizes. They also provide continuous monitoring of patients in departments where clinically ill patients are followed such as pediatric emergency department. Various types of pulse oximetry devices work in the same working principle; calculation of absorption of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin in different wavelength. Reasons due to the devices such as incorrect insertion of the probe, movement artifacts, ambient light and also reasons due to the patient such as hemoglobinopathies, skin pigmentation or nail polish, could cause measurement errors. All health providers should know the aim of pulse oximetry use, how to use these devices and for what they should pay attention to when using them. In this review, the use of pulse oximetry, its history, using areas, and the points in the use were discussed in detail.