Which electrode in a transcutaneous sensor measures PtcO2?

Which electrode in a transcutaneous sensor measures PtcO2?

• A. Severinghaus electrode
• B. Clark electrode
• C. Pt electrode
• D. Glass pH electrode

Answer: (B)

Transcutaneous oxygen tension is measured with a Clark-type polarographic electrode. In this design, oxygen diffuses through a permeable membrane into an electrolyte and is reduced at a platinum cathode, generating a current that is proportional to the tissue PO2. A reference electrode completes the circuit, and the electronics translate the current into a PtcO2 reading. This whole assembly is known as the Clark electrode, the component responsible for sensing oxygen tension in the transcutaneous sensor. The Severinghaus electrode measures CO2 via a pH change, the glass pH electrode measures hydrogen ion activity (pH), and while a platinum electrode is used inside the Clark cell, the device’s oxygen-sensing function is defined by the Clark electrode rather than by the platinum alone.

Transcutaneous oxygen tension is measured with a Clark-type polarographic electrode. In this design, oxygen diffuses through a permeable membrane into an electrolyte and is reduced at a platinum cathode, generating a current that is proportional to the tissue PO2. A reference electrode completes the circuit, and the electronics translate the current into a PtcO2 reading. This whole assembly is known as the Clark electrode, the component responsible for sensing oxygen tension in the transcutaneous sensor. The Severinghaus electrode measures CO2 via a pH change, the glass pH electrode measures hydrogen ion activity (pH), and while a platinum electrode is used inside the Clark cell, the device’s oxygen-sensing function is defined by the Clark electrode rather than by the platinum alone.