Enhance your patient care:
reliable results for confident assessment
reliable results for confident assessment
The innovative Philips Nasal Alar SpO₂ Sensor ensures dependable monitoring of oxygen saturation at the nasal ala, where a robust blood supply from the carotid arteries is maintained. This measurement site generates a strong, consistent signal and is less susceptible to vascular constriction compared to the extremities.1 You can trust your readings even in critical situations involving low perfusion and centralization of blood flow!2
Philips Nasal Alar SpO₂ sensor offers an exciting alternative to conventional pulse oximeters. Designed for comfort and durability, the sensor is non-adhesive and can be used on one patient for up to 7 days across multiple care areas.
Features
Accurate and reliable signal
The nasal ala consistently maintains a good blood supply from the internal and external carotid arteries, producing a strong, steady signal and is less prone to vasal constriction than the extremities.¹ This gives you confident results, even during critical states of low perfusion and blood flow centralization when the signal can be lost from peripheral sensors.²
Designed for sustainability
With a durable clip and molded, medical-grade silicone, the Alar sensor is designed for comfort while being easy to place and reapply. A single Alar sensor can move with your patient – from surgery to the PACU, ICU, and other care settings and has an expected service life of up to 7 days.
Patient’s comfort is a priority
The Alar sensor is comfortable for patients to wear, allowing their hands to be sensor-free to easily perform daily activities and enabling frequent hand hygiene to reduce risk for hospital-acquired infections.³ It doesn’t require headbands or adhesive and showed a lower prevalence of pressure injury than forehead sensors for 5 days of sensors use.²
Real-world benefits to meet many priorities
The Alar sensor provides reliable results for confident assessment in all care areas throughout the hospital. Have a sensor on a more accessible site than traditional finger sensors when used in the OR. Improve time efficiency with no need for nursing teams to discard multiple sensors when seeking a steady signal.
Multiple Care Areas
Critical care
The perfusion of hemodynamically unstable patients results in caregivers having to spend excessive time trying to find a stable SpO₂ signal. The search for a quality signal may include multiple site rotations and frequent trips to the stockroom. Even in hemodynamically unstable patients, such as patients on vasopressors or in shock states, the ala of the nose is more likely to be well perfused.
Acute care & Telemetry
With mobile patients and heavy demands on caregivers, the alar sensor keeps patient’s hands sensor-free so they can more easily perform daily activities. The alar sensor is quick and easy to apply and rotate. Patients can perform frequent hand hygiene unencumbered by typical SpO₂ sensors, reducing their risk for hospital-acquired infections.³
Surgery
While SpO₂ monitoring has value throughout the hospital, it is a particularly critical measure for anesthesiologists assessing patients during surgery. The Alar sensor is responsive to changes in oxygen saturation. After surgery, patients can be moved from the operating room to the PACU, the ICU and beyond, without changing the sensor.
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Frequently asked questions
- Why measure SpO₂?
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For accurate and fast assessments of patients in different care settings and clinical circumstances, having reliable pulse oximetry readings is crucial. SpO₂ measurements provide valuable insights into a patient's oxygen saturation levels, aiding in the early detection of hypoxemia or respiratory compromise. Monitoring SpO₂ levels allows healthcare professionals to promptly intervene and optimize patient care, thereby improving outcomes and reducing the risk of complications.
- What clinical settings can the Alar sensor be used in?
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While SpO₂ monitoring has value throughout the hospital, it’s a particularly critical measure for anesthesiologists assessing patients during surgery. The nasal ala is also easily accessible during surgeries in which patients are supine. After surgery, patients can be moved from the operating room to the PACU, the ICU and beyond, without changing the sensor.
- Which patients are good fits for the Alar sensor?
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In this 2-minute video, Dr. Nikolaus Gravenstein gives examples of the kinds of patients who are good candidates for the Alar sensor, including patients who have had a heart attack, who are hypothermic or poorly perfused and trauma patients.
- Where is the sensor placed?
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The Alar sensor measures oxygenation at the nasal ala – where the nose meets the cheek and facial arteries are fed by the internal and external carotid arteries – to produce a strong, consistent signal. This measurement site is ideal because when a patient is in shock or when vasopressors limit the blood supply to the extremities, finger sensors can become unreliable.
- How do I apply the Alar sensor?
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Watch a short video on how to apply the sensors with Dr. Nikolaus Gravenstein.
Documentation
- Resources
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- Video assets
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Footnotes
1. Morey TE, Rice MJ, Vasilopoulos T, Dennis DM, Melker RJ.Feasibility and accuracy of nasal alar pulse oximetry. Br J Anaesth. 2014; 112(6):1109-14. doi: 10.1093/bja/aeu095.
2. Schallom M, Prentice D, Sona C, Arroyo C, Mazuski J. Comprarison of nasal and forehead oximetry accuracy and pressure injury in critically ill patients. Heart & Lung 2018, 47:93-99. doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2017.12.002
3. Haverstick S, Goodrich C, Freeman R, James S, Kullar R, Ahrens M. Patients’ Hand Washing and Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infection. Critical Care Nurse. 2017;37(3):e1-e8.
