By 1982, Biox was receiving reports that their devices were being used to measure the oxygen saturation level in anesthetized patients during surgery and the company quickly pivoted and began developing pulse oximetry devices specifically designed for use by anesthesiologists. However, it wasn’t until the early 1980s that Biox released the first successful commercial pulse oximeter for the respiratory care market. The first usable clinical device used for pulse oximetry was developed from this technology by Susumu Nakajima and was tested on patients beginning in 1975. After several years of work he was able to develop a two-wavelength device that made use of the changes in arterial blood flow to more accurately measure oxygen saturation levels. When trying to find a way to combat the signal artifact created by the subject’s pulse, he realized that the noise created by the pulse was due solely to the change in arterial blood flow. The first true pulse oximeter was invented in 1972 by Takuo Aoyagi, a bioengineer for Nihon Kohden, who was attempting to use an ear oximeter to track the dilution of dye in order to measure cardiac output. In the following two decades blood oxygen saturation began to move outside of the laboratory and into clinical settings, culminating with the invention in 1964 of an eight wavelength ear oximeter which, being bulky and expensive, was primarily confined to sleep laboratories or pulmonary studies. To address the problem of pilots blacking out during high altitude maneuvers, he connected an ear oximeter (a term he created) to a system that would supply oxygen directly into the pilot’s mask whenever their oxygen readings dropped too low. The first practical use of this technology was developed by Glenn Millikan during World War II. It was in 1939 when Karl Matthes developed the forerunner of modern pulse oximeters when he created a device that used red and infrared light to continuously measure oxygen saturation levels in a person’s ear. While it had been known beginning in the 1860s that hemoglobin was the component of blood that transported oxygen throughout the body, it would be another seventy years before anyone was able to put this knowledge to direct use in humans. More generally, clinicians frequently measure patients’ oxygen saturation levels during simple checkups because it is a fast, easy way to flag potential health concerns or rule out others. Pulse oximetry’s ability to provide an early warning for many lung-related issues is why some clinicians are recommending their COVID-19 patients periodically monitor their oxygen saturation. People who have lung issues such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or pneumonia or people who temporarily stop breathing during sleep (sleep apnea) may be more likely to have low blood oxygen levels. The device will display your blood oxygen levels as a percentage. Pulse oximetry uses a device called a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen saturation in your red blood cells. Healthy adults will generally have 95% – 99% oxygen saturation while any pulse oximeter readings below 89% would typically be cause for concern. What is The Normal SpO2 level? What Level of SpO2 is Dangerous? SpO2 stands for Saturation of Peripheral Oxygen. So it makes sense that many people are wondering for the first time, “What is this SpO2?” Have no fear, keep on reading and we’ll walk you through just what SpO2 is and how it’s measured. Pulse oximetry, or SpO2, has been increasing in the public eye recently as some doctors are recommending their patients diagnosed with COVID-19 monitor their SpO2 levels at home.
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