• Michelle Hickey, Neal Samuels, Nilesh Randive, Richard M Langford, and Panayiotis A Kyriacou.
• School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, City University, London, EC1V 0HB, UK.
• Anesth. Analg.. 2011 May 1;112(5):1104-9.

BackgroundThe continuous monitoring of splanchnic organ oxygen saturation could make the early detection of inadequate tissue oxygenation feasible, reducing the risk of hypoperfusion, severe ischemia, multiple organ failure, and, ultimately, death. Current methods for assessing splanchnic perfusion have not been widely accepted for use in the clinical care environment. In an attempt to overcome the limitations of the current techniques, a new fiberoptic photoplethysmographic (PPG)/pulse oximetry sensor was developed as a means of assessing splanchnic organ perfusion during surgery in humans.MethodsA new fiberoptic splanchnic pulse oximeter and an optically identical fiberoptic finger pulse oximeter have been developed. Simultaneous PPG signals and preliminary estimates of arterial oxygen saturation from the bowel (small and large) and finger were obtained in 17 patients (3 men and 14 women) undergoing open laparotomy.ResultsGood quality PPG signals were obtained from the small and large bowel and from the finger in all patients (lower 95% confidence limit for the proportion was 0.64). Comparisons of blood oxygen saturation values acquired when using the splanchnic and the finger fiberoptic sensors and a commercial finger pulse oximeter indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between them (all P>0.454). A Bland and Altman plot of the difference between blood oxygen saturation values from the bowel fiberoptic pulse oximeter and the fiberoptic finger pulse oximeter against their mean showed that the limits of agreement between the 2 pulse oximeters were -3.8% and 4.2% for small bowel measurements, and -3.4% and 4.3% for large bowel measurements. The 95% prediction interval for the difference between the 2 devices was between -4.2% and 4.7%.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that good quality PPG signals can be obtained from the bowel using a new fiberoptic sensor. Further evaluation is required to determine whether fiberoptic pulse oximetry of the bowel may provide a suitable method for monitoring splanchnic perfusion.© 2011 International Anesthesia Research Society

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