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Causes of Spurious Readings When Using Pulse Oximeter

Purpose: To determine if the oxygen saturation reported by pulse oximeter may be spurious.

Description

The oxygen saturation reported using a pulse oximeter usually correlates with the actual oxygen saturation of arterial blood. However, the presence of certain conditions may make the readings unreliable.


 

Causes for spurious readings from a pulse oximeter:

(1) severe hypothermia

(2) severe hypoperfusion

(3) carboxyhemoglobinemia (carbon monoxide poisoning)

(4) methemoglobinemia

(5) presence of methylene blue or isosulfan blue

(6) fingernail polish (if oximeter placed on a finger tip)

(7) bright environmental light (as in the operating room)

 

A pulse oximeter blood oxygen saturation < 70% should be investigated as potentially spurious.

 


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Specialty

Objective

ICD-10