Clinical and economic performance criteria for intraarterial and extraarterial blood gas monitors, with comparison with in vitro testing.

Abstract

The frequency with which blood gas measurements should be obtained is controversial because laboratory-based blood gas analyzers impose blood loss, delay, and cost on each measurement. Point-of-care analyzers eliminate the delay factor, but blood loss and cost factors remain. Optode microsensing can be adopted readily to in vivo monitoring devices that can provide continuous or on-demand blood gas values that do not result in blood loss or added cost to each measurement. This article critically reviews the advantages and limitations of optode-based blood gas monitors based on published data. In addition, a basis for considering the economic effects of extralaboratory blood gas measurement devices (point-of-care analyzers and optode-based monitors) is presented.