Citation

Akhtar J, Johnston BD, Krenzelok EP. J. Emerg. Med. 2007; 33(2): 131-132.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jemermed.2006.11.016

PMID

17692762

Abstract

The "oxygen saturation gap" is the difference between the calculated oxygen saturation from a standard blood gas machine and the reading from a pulse oximeter. If it is greater than 5%, the patient's hemoglobin may be abnormal, representing carbon monoxide poisoning, methemoglobinemia, or sulfhemoglobinemia. We report a case where awareness of the saturation gap led to the diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Language: en

Keywords

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Male; Middle Aged; Oximetry; Oxygen; Suicide