Researchers from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China have developed a portable probe that uses near-infrared light to measure blood oxygen saturation in the tissue surrounding the neck's central internal jugular vein. The device allows doctors to continuously monitor a patient's recovery from shock without the hassle of continuously drawing and analyzing blood.

To develop the new monitoring technology, Ting Li, associate professor, State Key Lab of Electronic Thin Film and Integrated Device, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and her team employed near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) methods. NIRS uses the diffuse reflectance and absorption of near-infrared light to obtain information about the molecular composition of a sample. The technique is particularly effective at measuring hemoglobin levels and has seen widespread use as a screening tool for intracranial bleeding.

The researchers' NIRS device consists of a probe with two detectors and a triple-LED that emits light at wavelengths of 735, 805, and 850 nanometers. The team used ultrasound to guide the placement of the probe on the skin right over the patients' internal veins.

To test their device's accuracy at correlating the reflected wavelengths of light with blood oxygen saturation, Li and her colleagues compared results against the standard catheter system, in which blood is drawn and analyzed, in 25 patients exhibiting shock at intensive care unit of Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai, China. Findings showed similar effectiveness with the current method.

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