# Please ID this medical device (picture) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034 "2008-05-12T15:53:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/1 "2008-05-12T15:53:07Z")
I think I know what it is, but I want to be sure. It’s the part encircled in red in [this image](http://img379.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thingut4.jpg). Your help is appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/2 "2008-05-12T15:57:14Z")
Looks like a [vital signs monitor](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.colmedsupply.com/images/propaqcs2l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.colmedsupply.com/lifesupport/lifesupport.html&h=266&w=264&sz=16&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=yWQaBFSiCMmOCM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvital%2Bsigns%2Bmonitor%26ndsp%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN) to me. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/3 "2008-05-12T16:04:45Z")
Ok, good, thanks. I was thinking it was a portable ECG. If it serves all the functions of one, and is portable, then it will serve my purposes. Anyone care to confirm those two things? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/4 "2008-05-12T16:57:34Z")
Portable vital signs and/or EKG monitor, sitting atop an anesthesia workstation. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/5 "2008-05-12T17:20:50Z")
Is it the machine that goes _PING_? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/6 "2008-05-12T18:26:24Z")
Close. It’s the [machine that goes BING!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lusXJIfB4ys) Of course the link makes noise - it goes BING! ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/7 "2008-05-12T18:29:40Z")
It’s a flux capacitor. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/8 "2008-05-12T19:33:59Z")
[QUOTE=Roland Orzabal] Ok, good, thanks. I was thinking it was a portable ECG. If it serves all the functions of one, and is portable, then it will serve my purposes. Anyone care to confirm those two things? [/QUOTE] What purposes would those be? Roland Orzabal’s E-Z home surgery? Basement torture chamber? ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/9 "2008-05-12T19:38:43Z")
If you have a heart arythmia or similar, then a personal EKG machine would be handy. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/10 "2008-05-12T21:36:40Z")
[QUOTE=WF Tomba] Is it the machine that goes _PING_? [/QUOTE] No it’s the machine that goes _pocketa-pocketa- **queep!!** _ ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/11 "2008-05-12T23:47:24Z")
ok–got it from anesthesiologist so. it’s a combination ekg/pulse oximetry/capnography/anesthesia agents monitor/arterial blood pressure monitoring/central venous pressure monitoring/and possibly other things if they’re programmed into it. there–direct from my horse’s mouth. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/12 "2008-05-12T23:50:59Z")
[QUOTE=hellpaso] ok–got it from anesthesiologist so. it’s a combination ekg/pulse oximetry/capnography/anesthesia agents monitor/arterial blood pressure monitoring/central venous pressure monitoring/and possibly other things if they’re programmed into it. there–direct from my horse’s mouth. [/QUOTE] Would these **signs** be important, nay, **vital**? Something one might want to **monitor**? ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/13 "2008-05-13T02:18:48Z")
lol–so true–“vital signs monitor”! but ya know, in the medical parlance, vital signs generally refers to pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. this instrument can be programmed to monitor many other signs necessary to monitor during a general anesthetic. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/14 "2008-05-13T02:26:39Z")
vital sign machines are a dime a dozen ones that include 3 lead ekg less so and those with CO2, art line and CVP capabilities are fairly rare ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/15 "2008-05-13T03:43:35Z")
The Vital Signs Monitor I linked to in my first post can display: 3 or 5-lead ECG Heart/Pulse rate Smartcuf TM non-invasive blood pressure Nellcor® Pulse oximetry Impedance respiration Invasive blood pressure (up to 2 channels) Capnography (mainstream/sidestream) Temperature Apnea ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-id-this-medical-device-picture/449034/16 "2008-05-13T03:54:11Z")
[QUOTE=muldoonthief] What purposes would those be? Roland Orzabal’s E-Z home surgery? Basement torture chamber? [/QUOTE] No, but thanks for the ideas! Actually, I just need a picture of a portable ECG in a hospital-esque setting for a project I’m working on. Since my knowledge of medical machinery comes largely from watching House, I figured I ought to appeal to a more authoritative source, and since the toaster didn’t answer, I came here. Thanks everyone!