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Calibration of a Reflectance Pulse Oximeter in Fetal Lambs for Arterial Oxygen Saturations Below 70%

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Abstract

Objective

To calibrate a reflectance pulse oximeter developed at the Division of Perinatal Physiology, University Hospital of Zurich, for monitoring of oxygen saturations below 70%.

Methods

Oxygen saturation measured monivasively with the reflectance pulse oximeter in fetal sheep was compared with oxygen saturation of arterial blood samples measured by a conventional two-wavelength oximeter. Oxygen saturation was varied by stepwise reduction of the inspired oxygen concentration of the ewe.

Results

A total of 58 data pairs was obtained from five fetuses, with a range of 10.9-73.5% for the reference method and 6.8-69.2% for the pulse oximetry oxygen saturation values. There was good correlation between the results obtained by the two methods (r2 = .89, P < .0001), with a 95% confidence interval of ± 12.5%. The pulse oximeter showed a precision of 6.2% oxygen saturation.

Conclusion

The Zurich reflectance pulse oximeter offers valid measurements of oxygen saturation levels down to 10% oxygen saturation, and is therefore suitable for monitoring the fetus during delivery.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Odense, Denmark

    Anthony M. Carter PhD, Ruth Stiller MD, Volker König PhD, Jan S. Jørgensen MD, PhD, Per Svendsen MSc, DVM & Renate Huch MD

  2. Division of Perinatal Physiology, Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Anthony M. Carter PhD, Ruth Stiller MD, Volker König PhD, Jan S. Jørgensen MD, PhD, Per Svendsen MSc, DVM & Renate Huch MD

Authors
  1. Anthony M. Carter PhD
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  2. Ruth Stiller MD
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  3. Volker König PhD
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  4. Jan S. Jørgensen MD, PhD
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  5. Per Svendsen MSc, DVM
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  6. Renate Huch MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ruth Stiller MD.

Additional information

Supported by the Danish Medical Research Council, the Desiree and Niels Yde Foundation, and the Swiss National Science Foundation (Schweizeristher Nationalfonds 32–403 06.94). The skillful technical assistance of Lis Teusch, Pernille Jensen, and Camilla Rasmussen is gratetully acknowledged.

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Carter, A.M., Stiller, R., König, V. et al. Calibration of a Reflectance Pulse Oximeter in Fetal Lambs for Arterial Oxygen Saturations Below 70%. Reprod. Sci. 5, 255–259 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1177/107155769800500506

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