Apparatus and method for temperature compensated transcutaneous carbon dioxide measurement

摘要

An improved apparatus for non-invasive measurement of transcutaneous carbon dioxide pressure employs a skin engaging sensor including pH and reference electrodes and a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor produces an output signal voltage having a characteristic which can be the same as or the complement of the voltage-temperature characteristic of the deviation voltage component of the pH-reference electrode voltage attributable to temperature deviation effects on the sensor as well as on the skin. An error signal voltage produced at the output of the temperature sensor is combined with the voltage measured across the pH and reference electrodes to provide a corrected voltage having a magnitude indicative of transcutaneous carbon dioxide pressure at a predetermined reference temperature without need to heat the skin or electrode or otherwise control their temperatures.