A spectrophotometric hemoglobin sensor may help providers monitor blood hemoglobin levels noninvasively during surgery, according to a report published in the April 2011 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
The SpHb technology could reduce facilities' reliance on invasive monitoring or the need for blood transfusion during surgery. The study, led by Ronald D. Miller, MD, of the University of California in San Francisco, evaluated SpHb for continuous monitoring of blood hemoglobin levels in 20 patients undergoing spine surgery with general anesthesia. According to the report, SpHb works by shining different light wavelengths through blood-perfused tissues.
Hemoglobin was also measured in blood samples, using a standard invasive lab test and a new "point of care" device called HemoCue, which provides rapid OR results. Results found that the SpHb monitor was fairly accurate compared to the standard lab test.
The researchers concluded that while more development is needed to make SpHb sufficiently accurate for clinical use, the study indicates SpHb is a good indicator of hemoglobin levels and could be important for the future of hemoglobin monitoring.
Read the Anesthesia & Analgesia report on hemoglobin monitoring.
Read more on anesthesia:
-Orphan Drug Could Make Morphine Safer, More Effective
-ASA Updates Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting
-6 Strategies for Surgery Centers to Address Drug Shortages
The SpHb technology could reduce facilities' reliance on invasive monitoring or the need for blood transfusion during surgery. The study, led by Ronald D. Miller, MD, of the University of California in San Francisco, evaluated SpHb for continuous monitoring of blood hemoglobin levels in 20 patients undergoing spine surgery with general anesthesia. According to the report, SpHb works by shining different light wavelengths through blood-perfused tissues.
Hemoglobin was also measured in blood samples, using a standard invasive lab test and a new "point of care" device called HemoCue, which provides rapid OR results. Results found that the SpHb monitor was fairly accurate compared to the standard lab test.
The researchers concluded that while more development is needed to make SpHb sufficiently accurate for clinical use, the study indicates SpHb is a good indicator of hemoglobin levels and could be important for the future of hemoglobin monitoring.
Read the Anesthesia & Analgesia report on hemoglobin monitoring.
Read more on anesthesia:
-Orphan Drug Could Make Morphine Safer, More Effective
-ASA Updates Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting
-6 Strategies for Surgery Centers to Address Drug Shortages