CLINICAL-EVALUATION OF A PROTOTYPE MOTION ARTIFACT RESISTANT PULSE OXIMETER IN THE RECOVERY ROOM

The frequency and nature of spurious pulse oximetry readings were comp ared using both a conventional pulse oximeter (CPO) and a prototype Ma simo signal extraction technology pulse oximeter (Masimo SET(TM)). At a university hospital, 50 ASA physical status I-IV adult patients who underwent general or spinal-epidural anesthesia were selected from a g roup of 250 patients on the basis of high-alarm generation with routin e postoperative pulse oximetry. Pulse oximetry data were recorded simu ltaneously from both devices with a computer. Overall, the CPO alarm f requency (i.e., oxygen saturation <90%, or complete signal loss) was o nce every 13 min, and 87% of these alarms were considered false. Alarm s were considered false based on reference electrocardiographs (16 pat ients), arterial blood gases (7 patients), and clinical assessment. Th e prototype Masimo SET(TM) device alarm frequency was once every 30 mi n, and 59% of these were considered false. During arm motion with 15 p atients, the CPO device produced spurious signals on 54 occasions comp ared with five for prototype Masimo SET(TM). The incidence of artifact ual pulse oximetry events during patient motion appear to be substanti ally reduced with the prototype Masimo SET(TM) device, relative to a C PO device.