Gene mutations that affect the synthesis or structure of hemoglobin are present in 7% of the world’s population. These mutations lead to variant hemoglobinopathies with phenotypes that range from clinically insignificant to fatal. Because monitoring oxygen saturation is standard of care and critical to detecting hypoxemia, it is crucial to recognize factors that might interfere with the measurement of oxygen saturation or decrease oxygen delivery. We discuss the management of a patient who presented to a freestanding surgical center with the rare variant hemoglobin Kansas, clinical cyanosis, and an initial pulse oximetry reading of 68% on room air.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.