Abstract
BACKGROUND: We evaluated a protective sheath for disposable pulse oximetry probes that is intended by the manufacturer to prolong the life of such probes and to make them reusable from patient to patient. DEVICE: The device is a preformed tape sleeve with an adhesive backing to be placed over a dis- posable pulse oximetry probe that has been modified by lamination. MATERIALS & METHODS: The study was performed as a prospective clinical trial in a 10-bed multidisciplinary intensive care unit in a 500-bed university hospital. Probe performance was evaluated in 20 adult patients whose oxyhe- moglobin saturation was being monitored continuously by pulse oximetry and whose baseline SpO2 was > 90%. All patients had SpO2 measurements recorded by standard disposable pulse oximetry probes and identical probes modified by the protective sheath being evaluated. Spo2 was recorded every 15 min- utes for 12 readings/probe/patient, and the readings from the sheathed and non-sheathed probes were compared. New non-sheathed probes were used on each subject, and 5 sheathed probes were alternated among the 20 sub- jects. RESULTS: Mean SpO2 readings were 97.5% for the non-sheathed probes and 98.1% for the sheathed probes. Differences in mean SpO2 ranged from 0.1% to 2.5% in individual patients. CONCLUSIONS: The protective sheath studied did not interfere with SpO2 measurements in the range tested (>90%) and allows effective reuse of the disposable pulse oximetry probes studied.
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