Beat to Beat: A Measured Look at the History of Pulse Oximetry

It can be argued that pulse oximetry is the most important technological advancement ever made in monitoring the well-being and safety of patients undergoing anesthesia. Before its development, the physical appearance of the patient and blood gas analysis were the only methods of assessing hypoxemia in patients. The disadvantages of blood gas analysis are that it is not without pain, complications, and most importantly does not provide continuous, real-time data. Although it has become de rigueur to use pulse oximetry for every anesthetic, the road leading to pulse oximetry began long ago.