Monitorage de la saturation de pouls: Intérêts et limites

Pulse oximetry is a standard monitoring device in intensive care and post-anesthesia care units, currently used to guide therapeutic interventions. Nevertheless, the accuracy of pulse oximetry in critical care patients has been poorly studied, and no beneficial effect on morbidity or mortality has been demonstrated. The cost-effectiveness of oximeters has also not been demonstrated. Conversely, several studies showed that the agreement between pulse oximetry and the arterial oxygen saturation, although within the limits ensured by the manufacturers, may not be clinically sufficient, especially in the most unstable patients. Thus, the clinicians should be aware of the advantages and limits of the pulse oximetry, to use it carefully and to avoid unrecognised hypoxemia associated with low SpO ₂ targets.