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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Where do pulse oximeter probes break?
Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing, Volume 28, No. 3, Year 2014
Notification
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Description
Pulse oximetry, a non-invasive method for accurate assessment of blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), is an important monitoring tool in health care facilities. However, it is often not available in many low-resource settings, due to expense, overly sophisticated design, a lack of organised procurement systems and inadequate medical device management and maintenance structures. Furthermore medical devices are often fragile and not designed to withstand the conditions of low-resource settings. In order to design a probe, better suited to the needs of health care facilities in low-resource settings this study aimed to document the site and nature of pulse oximeter probe breakages in a range of different probe designs in a low to middle income country. A retrospective review of job cards relating to the assessment and repair of damaged or faulty pulse oximeter probes was conducted at a medical device repair company based in Cape Town, South Africa, specializing in pulse oximeter probe repairs. 1,840 job cards relating to the assessment and repair of pulse oximeter probes were reviewed. 60.2 % of probes sent for assessment were finger-clip probes. For all probes, excluding the neonatal wrap probes, the most common point of failure was the probe wiring (>50 %). The neonatal wrap most commonly failed at the strap (51.5 %). The total cost for quoting on the broken pulse oximeter probes and for the subsequent repair of devices, excluding replacement components, amounted to an estimated ZAR 738,810 (USD $98,508). Improving the probe wiring would increase the life span of pulse oximeter probes. Increasing the life span of probes will make pulse oximetry more affordable and accessible. This is of high priority in low-resource settings where frequent repair or replacement of probes is unaffordable or impossible. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media.
Authors & Co-Authors
Credé, Sarah H.
South Africa, Cape Town
Powerfree Education and Technology
Van Der Merwe, G.
South Africa, Bellville
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Hutchinson, J.
South Africa, Cape Town
Freeplay Energy
Woods, David Lawrance
South Africa, Cape Town
Powerfree Education and Technology
Karlen, Walter
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Lawn, Joy E.
South Africa, Cape Town
Powerfree Education and Technology
Statistics
Citations: 6
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1007/s10877-013-9538-2
ISSN:
13871307
e-ISSN:
15732614
Research Areas
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cohort Study
Study Approach
Qualitative
Study Locations
South Africa