A Miniaturized Transcutaneous Carbon Dioxide Monitor Based on Dual Lifetime Referencing

The ability to monitor blood gases, namely oxy-gen and carbon dioxide, in real-time is of critical importance to clinicians in diagnosing and treating respiratory disorders. Transcutaneous monitors measure the partial pressure of carbon dioxide diffused from the skin. These monitors are noninvasive and capable of continuously monitoring carbon dioxide. Conventional transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitors require a heating element and large calibration equipment for reliable measurements. We propose a miniaturized transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitor based on a luminescence sensing film and dual lifetime referencing technique to assess the partial pressure of carbon dioxide within the 0-75 mmHg range, covering the clinically relevant range for healthy humans, 35-45 mmHg. We measured the partial pressure of carbon dioxide with less than ~1.6% error in the given range without any post-processing and heating.