Jobs inspires Oxitone wrist pulse oximeter

Supposedly when Steve Jobs fell ill he complained of the devices used to monitor his oxygen status.  So his company, Apple, worked to create a new pulse oximeter that can be worn around the wrist. This is according to Phyllis Hanlon, "Apple's Jobs Inspires Comfortable Device."

The device is the first ever pulse oximetry device that doesn't require anything to be placed over a finger, nor an ear, nor a toe.  You place it around the wrist, and it continuously monitors the heart rate and oxygen saturation. 

It's a convenient way for both patient and care practitioners to monitor the the patient's oxygenation status, and to increase and decrease oxygen as needed.

There's anothe rarticle by Brian Edwards, "Oxytone launches crowdfunding campaign for innovative wrist-worn pulse oximeter."  He notes that the new device is also resistant to motion, meaning even as the patient is wriggling around you will still get accurate vitals.

The information is also updated to a cloud, meaning it can be viewed by the patinet and caregivers from any place in the world by using a computer or iPhone. Edwards writes:

The smartphone/PC dashboard application unwinds the patient daily health profile, which is being continuously uploaded to a cloud. The information can also be securely shared by the patient with the family or community members, offering the patients and caregivers peace of mind.

Hey, that's pretty smart.  Perhaps in the future we might find monitor techs not just watching the telemetry units of patients admitted to the hospital, but patient's at home too.  There's another related blog post about Jobs and the pulse oximeter here.

Is pulse oximetry a distraction?

Here's an interesting article you can read about the pulse oximeter: "Is pulse oximetry an essential tool or just another distraction? The role of the pulse oximeter in modern anesthesia care." I personally believe there are definitely advantages to pulse oximeters, yet there are also disadvantages. 

Advantage: It's a agreat noninvasive way to learn how well a patient is oxygenating.  Patients can monitor their own oxygenation, and increase or decrease as needed. By seeing how well a patient is oxygenating, this negates the need to perform unnecessary invasive arterial blood pokes.

Disadvantage: Some patients sit and stare at their pulse oximeter and this results in added anxiety.  Sometimes I just want to take it away.  If it's mine I can, but many patinets are bringing in their own pulse oximeters.  Some are less than $99, and some cost less than $50. 

What do you think?  Is pulse oximetry a distraction?

What is a normal oxygen percentage in the blood?

Pocket size pulse oximeter

Your question:  What is the normal percentage of oxygen in the blood?

My humble answer:  I believe you are referring to pulse oximetry, or spo2.  Your blood has many red blood cells (RBC), and each RBC has a hemoglobin molecule.  After passing through the lungs, an oxygen molecule binds with a hemoglobin molecule.  So, an spo2 gives a percentage of hemoglobin molecules (in arterial blood) that are carrying an oxygen molecule.  A normal percentage is 98%.  However, anything over 90% is acceptable.  As we age, sleep, and with various disease conditions it's normal for this percentage to decrease.  Pulse oximetry is now considered the 5th vital sign after blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature.

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