Design of intravascular fiber optic blood gas sensors

Arterial blood gas analysis is one of the most frequently requested tests performed on critically ill patients in both the operating room and intensive care unit. Fiber optic sensors are advantageous in that they require no electrical connection to the patient (except to measure temperature) and are low cost and disposable. The author details the design requirements of fiber optic sensors for continuous monitoring of blood gases and pH, and describes some of the design approaches used to meet these requirements. Attention is also focused on the challenges of using these sensors in human clinical applications.<>