ACCURACY, SENSITIVITY TO CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN, AND SPEED OR RESPONSE OF THE HEWLETT-PACKARD 47201A EAR OXIMETER

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Abstract
The Hewlett-Packard 47201A ear oximeter measured [human] arterial O2 saturation within 95% confidence limits of .+-. 4% when arterial blood saturation was more than 65%, but at lower saturations the oximeter consistently provided a reading that was too low. The oximeter was sensitive to HbCO, progressively overestimating arterial saturation as HbCO concentration increased from 0-18%. The time response was exponential, with a normal time constant of 3 s, but this was halved in the fast mode of operation.