
The Pulse Oximeter - A small device that’s made thousands of operations safer - sohkamyung
https://mosaicscience.com/story/safer-surgery-pulse-oximeter-mongolia
======
zaroth
It's not even a little yellow box now. Fairly recently they are now battery
powered tiny clips over your finger with a built in display just big enough to
show pulse and oxygen levels.

Apparently they are cheap enough and so easy to use that nurses are buying
their own and carrying them around along with their stethoscopes.

The only concern, like with stethoscopes, is they are likely to be the
dirtiest instruments in the room and they are so quick and easy to clip on a
finger it's easy to forget to wipe them down before and after each use.

To try to cut down on this germ vector, they also make a disposable version of
the sensor that goes on your finger that can be left with each patient instead
of traveling with the monitor.

~~~
blhack
For example: [https://www.amazon.com/Santamedical-Generation-
SM-165-Finger...](https://www.amazon.com/Santamedical-Generation-
SM-165-Fingertip-
Saturation/dp/B00R59OTOC/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487644208&sr=8-6&keywords=bluetooth+pulse+oximeter)

~~~
trendia
I own one of these for hiking at high altitudes. Very useful to know if it
drops below 90%!

~~~
blhack
I have never even thought of that as a use. Interesting! Gonna try this next
time I'm at elevation.

------
ClassyJacket
I dislike this title and article.

The article itself has 786 words across 9 paragraphs before the titular device
is _mentioned_. Finally, after another two paragraphs, it's identified as a
pulse oximeter.

The title is clickbait - I would suggest "Pulse oximeter saves hundreds of
lives by monitoring blood oxygen levels". Or better yet, some actual
statistics.

~~~
StephenConnell
Very true, I did not realize it was talking about a medical operation. Plus, I
expected the yellow box to be some sort of black box. I only read the comments
to figure out what the title was trying to say.

------
eridius
tl;dr: It's a pulse oximeter.

~~~
njharman
Thank you.

I know many people like them. But, I can't fucking stand long form. I don't
care were someone grew up, or what the fuck their mother does, or how you've
decided to shape and construct a "story". Just tell me the fact and let me
move on without wasting my time on your fluff.

~~~
ClassyJacket
I agree. All this does is make me uninterested in reading the article. The 786
words of exposition were unnecessary. Maybe this Reader's Digest format
appeals to some, but I prefer substance from scientific articles.

~~~
wavefunction
I have to laugh (in good humor) at your post, as Reader's Digest
provided/provides excerpts of longer pieces.

~~~
ClassyJacket
My mistake, then, and I suppose with the name that does make sense. I just
thought I remembered reading and not really understanding various long
articles like this in it in various waiting rooms as a kid. Bad example, but I
hope my point still makes sense.

------
digler999
just dont forget and put the blood pressure cuff on the same hand as the pulse
ox!

