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- Jan 2, 2012
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So is digital plethysmography just a fancy medical word for pulse Ox or does it really measure SaO2 like the ABG. If so, why wouldn't we use it all the time instead of ABG's since they are so non-invasive (looks like it goes on just like a pulse ox) or did I just look in a bad source that said digital plethysmography measures SaO2.
It's a bit tough to get a google answer on the mechanism of how it works as it seems to be a bit complex, so I would appreciate someone familiar in use of the device to explain.
My confusion arises mostly around the mechanism of how it works and if it is placed on the finger how it can DDx CO poisoning vs regular O2 sats by getting an SaO2 vs SpO2? Or is it basically only measuring blood flow volume capacity through limb arteries (to assess severity for thromboangitis obliterans, other arterial vascular occlusions, etc...) and thus has nothing to do even with the oxygen saturation of the RBCs?? As we all know Pulse Ox can't tell if Hb is sat w/ carbon monoxide or oxygen (both will give 100% O2 readings), whereas ABG solves this problem. But this digital plethysmography thing, I need to know more.
It's a bit tough to get a google answer on the mechanism of how it works as it seems to be a bit complex, so I would appreciate someone familiar in use of the device to explain.
My confusion arises mostly around the mechanism of how it works and if it is placed on the finger how it can DDx CO poisoning vs regular O2 sats by getting an SaO2 vs SpO2? Or is it basically only measuring blood flow volume capacity through limb arteries (to assess severity for thromboangitis obliterans, other arterial vascular occlusions, etc...) and thus has nothing to do even with the oxygen saturation of the RBCs?? As we all know Pulse Ox can't tell if Hb is sat w/ carbon monoxide or oxygen (both will give 100% O2 readings), whereas ABG solves this problem. But this digital plethysmography thing, I need to know more.
