Who Invented the Pulse Oximeter?

In 1972 the method of computing arterial blood saturation through pulsatile light variation was invented by Takuo Aoyagi, a Japanese bioengineer. The use of the pulse oximeter has become a standard of patient care by anesthesiologists in the operating room and in critical care areas.

Marketing

• The pulse oximeter was marketed in 1978 by Minolta Company in Osaka, Japan.
  By the 1980s, pulse oximeters exploded on to the worldwide market.

Significance

• The invention and marketing of the pulse oximeter was a significant milestone in analyzing the oxygenation of a patient's blood levels and was a plus for better patient care.

Benefits

• In an article written by John W. Severinhaus, he concludes: "That the introduction of pulse oximetry coincided with 90 percent reduction in anesthesia-related deaths."

Effects

• It was in the year 2000 that the U.S. Medicare program began accepting physicians' billing for in office use of the oximeter. This was an important step in improving patient care.

Home Care Use

• Pulse oximeters are now being used in the home to monitor the oxygen level in the blood of individuals who suffer with asthma attacks.