Development and clinical validation of a miniaturized finger probe for bedside hemodynamic monitoring

Our aim is to develop a blood pressure (BP) measurement technology that could be integrated into a finger-worn pulse oximeter, eliminating the need for a brachial cuff. We present a miniature cuffless tonometric finger probe system that uses the oscillometric method to measure BP. Our approach uses a motorized press that is used to apply pressure to the fingertip to measure BP. We verified the functionality of the device in a clinical trial (n = 43) resulting in systolic and diastolic pressures ((mean +/- SD) mmHg) of (-3.5 +/- 8.4) mmHg and (-4.0 +/- 4.4) mmHg, respectively. Comparison was made with manual auscultation (n = 26) and automated cuff oscillometry (n =18). In addition to BP, we demonstrated the ability of the device to assess arterial stiffness (n = 18) and detect atrial fibrillation (n = 6). We were able to introduce a sufficiently small device that could be used for convenient ambulatory measurements with minimal discomfort.

Automated summary

The aim of this study was to develop a blood pressure measurement technology that can be integrated into a finger-worn pulse oximeter, eliminating the need for a brachial cuff. The researchers proposed a miniature cuffless tonometric finger probe system that uses the oscillometric method to measure blood pressure. They successfully verified the functionality of the device and demonstrated its ability to assess arterial stiffness and detect atrial fibrillation.