Anesthesia & Clinical Research
Open Access

Abstract

Role of CO-Oximeter in Reduction of Post-Operative Respiratory Complications in Chronic Heavy Smokers

Bassant Mohamed Abd Elhamid, Mohamed Elsonbaty and Ahmed Elsonbaty

The worldwide number of smokers exceeds one billion, and about 6 million people die per year, due to tobacco use. Smoking and its hazards exert a heavy toll on healthcare expenditure as well, in countries around the world. Patients with a history of smoking have a greater risk for pulmonary complications following surgical procedures.

The Conventional technology relies on the use of arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis for monitoring gas saturation parameters in the blood but is invasive, expensive and cumbersome. Pulse CO-oximetry is a widely employed, operator-friendly, non-invasive monitoring method that yields comparable results to laboratory CO-oximetry and facilitates multi-parametric monitoring of the patients. It can accurately measure arterial oxygen saturation levels in heavy smokers who might have higher levels of circulating carboxyhemoglobin.

The technology is cost-effective, can facilitate early detection of post-operative pulmonary complications and has the potential to reduce healthcare costs and improve clinical outcomes.

Though clinical trials are yet to show benefit in patient monitoring from this technology, it is assumed to hold considerable promise in patients with risk factors for surgical complications.