Pulse oximeter and sensor optimized for low saturation

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for facilitating detection of a physiological characteristic of a patient. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a sensor comprising a light emitter configured to emit light, the light being optimized to reduce sensitivity of blood oxygen saturation measurements to perturbation induced artifacts for saturations less than 80 percent, wherein the light includes only spectrums in a red range and infrared range including a range of 700 to 790 nanometers, and a detector configured to detect the light.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 698,962, filed Oct. 30, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 882,371, filed Jun. 14, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,033, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 003,413, filed Jan. 6, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,363, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08 / 413,578, filed Mar. 30, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,237, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08 / 221,911, filed Apr. 1, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,329, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Pulse oximetry is used to continuously monitor the arterial blood oxygen saturation of adults, pediatrics and neonates in the operating room, recovery room, intensive care units, and increasingly on the general floor. A need exists for pulse oximetry in the delivery room for monitoring th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, more accurate estimates of low arterial oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry are achieved by optimizing a wavelength spectrum of first and second light sources so that the saturation estimates at low saturation values are improved while the saturation estimates at high saturation values are minimally adversely affected as compared to using conventional first and second wavelength spectrums. It has been discovered that calculations at low saturation can be significantly improved if the anticipated or predicted rates of absorption and scattering of the first wavelength spectrum is brought closer to, optimally equal to, the anticipated or predicted rates of absorption and scattering of the second wavelength spectrum than otherwise exists when conventional wavelength spectrum pairs are chosen, such as when conventionally using a first wavelength centered near 660 nm and a second wavelength centered anywhere in the range of 880nm-940 nm.

[0008] The present techniques solve a long felt need for a pulse oximeter sensor and system which provides more accurate estimates of arterial oxygen saturation at low oxygen saturations, i.e. saturations equal to or less than 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, or 60%, than has heretofore existed in the prior art. The sensor and system is particularly useful for estimating arterial saturation of a living fetus during labor where the saturation range of principal importance and interest is generally between 15% and 65%, and is particularly useful for estimating arterial saturation of living cardiac patients who experience significant shunting of venous blood into their arteries in their hearts and hence whose saturation range of principle importance and interest is roughly between 50% and 80%. By contrast, a typical healthy human has a saturation greater than 90%. The invention has utility whenever the saturation range of interest of a living subject, either human or animal, is low.

[0009] In addition to providing better estimates of arterial oxygen saturation at low saturations, the sensor, monitor, and system disclosed herein may provide better and more accurate oxygen saturation estimates when perturbation induced artifacts exist and are associated with the subject being monitored.

[0010] When the rates of absorption and scattering by the tissue being probed by the first and second wavelength spectrums are brought closer together for the saturation values of particular interest, improved correspondence and matching of the tissue actually being probed by the first and second wavelengths is achieved, thus drastically reducing errors introduced due to perturbation induced artifacts. For example, when light of one wavelength is absorbed at a rate significantly higher than that of the other wavelength, the light of the other wavelength penetrates significantly further into the tissue. When the tissue being probed is particularly in-homogenous, this difference in penetrations can have a significant adverse impact on the accuracy of the arterial oxygen saturation estimate.

[0015] In one embodiment, there is provided a fetal pulse oximeter sensor with a light source optimized for the fetal oxygen saturation range and for maximizing the immunity to perturbation induced artifact. A far red and an infrared light source may be used, with the far red light source having a mean wavelength between 700-790 nm. The infrared light source can have a mean wavelength as in prior art devices used on patients with high saturation, i.e., between 800-1000 nm. As used herein, “high saturation” shall mean an arterial oxygen saturation greater than 70%, preferably greater than 75%, alternatively greater than 80%, optionally greater than 90%.

[0016] The fetal sensor may be optimized by arranging the spacing between the location the emitted light enters the tissue and the location the detected light exits the tissue to minimize the sensitivity to perturbation induced artifact.

Problems solved by technology

In this situation, a high degree of accuracy in the estimate of saturation is not clinically relevant, as much as is the trend over time.

Unfortunately, pulse oximeters which use LED wavelengths paired from the 660 nm band and 900 nm bands all show diminished accuracy at low oxygen saturations.

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