A microcomputer system for long term monitoring, collecting, analyzing and reporting noninvasive oxygen saturation

The characteristics of a microcomputer based system for long term monitoring, collecting, analyzing and reporting oxygen saturation are described. Every two seconds SaO2 is transmitted to the microcomputer via the serial port of the oximeter and verified by the program. The microcomputer's real time display and internal data structures are updated. At the end of the data collection period, accumulated data is stored to disk. Report generation modules calculate summary statistics and generate graphs depicting the cumulative time distribution of SaO2, the frequency distribution of SaO2, and an hour by hour representation of the real time display. This inexpensive microcomputer based system allows accurate collection and timely presentation of oxygen saturation levels with monitoring periods of any length replacing tedius and time consuming manual recording, digitizing and analysis.