Methods of assessment of pulse oximeters

Pulse oximetry has gained wide acceptance as a non-invasive method of monitoring oxygenation of haemoglobin in arterial blood. However, although pulse oximeters are widely used for this purpose, they are often used without being subjected to routine performance assessment to verify their accuracy. Until recently there has not been a convenient method of testing pulse oximeters from different manufacturers over a wide range of %SaO₂ values. However, there are now commercially available simulators, which the manufacturers claim can be used to simulate a wide variety of patient conditions thus allowing a more comprehensive testing of pulse oximeters than has previously been possible. Current practices in respect of performance assessment of pulse oximeters have been examined in 6 hospitals. In addition a commercial simulator has been used to examine the performance of more than 100 pulse oximeters in clinical use in the 6 hospitals over a wide range of %Sa0₂ and pulse rate values. The results have highlighted the value of routine performance assessment. This study has examined the techniques employed by 2 of these simulators and concludes that while they are useful in trend testing pulse oximeters, they do not provide a quantitative method of accurately assessing performance