Kh. Shelley et al., THE DETECTION OF PERIPHERAL VENOUS PULSATION USING THE PULSE OXIMETERAS A PLETHYSMOGRAPH, Journal of clinical monitoring, 9(4), 1993, pp. 283-287
The pulse oximeter can serve as a sensitive photoelectric plethysmogra
ph in the operating room. It was noted in several cases that the pleth
ysmographic waveform showed a high degree of variability during diasto
le. Three patients are described with discrete diastolic peaks on the
plethysmograph. Further investigation revealed that these diastolic pe
aks appear to correlate with peripheral venous pulsation, which seems
to have a central venous origin. Evidence is presented that the plethy
smographic detection of the venous pulse may be useful in estimating t
he changing volume status of the patient.