Digit gauge for noninvasive optical sensor

1. A noninvasive oximetry sensor, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light;

a detector configured to output a signal indicative of light attenuated by a digit of a patient; and

a finger gauge configured to determine proper sizing for said sensor, the gauge including:

a tab including an opening sized to determine whether a cross-section of said patient's digit is appropriate for said noninvasive sensor, wherein when a periphery of said cross-section is larger than an inner edge of said opening, said tab indicates that said digit is too large for said noninvasive sensor, said sensor configured to output a signal indicative of light attenuated by said digit, and

an association portion mechanically associating the tab with the sensor.

2. The noninvasive oximetry sensor of claim 1 , wherein said association portion nonremovably associates the tab with the sensor.

3. The noninvasive oximetry sensor of claim 1 , wherein said tab comprises plastic materials.

4. The noninvasive oximetry sensor of claim 1 , wherein said tab comprises rounded edges about a periphery of said opening.

5. The noninvasive oximetry sensor of claim 1 , wherein said tab further comprises indicia associated with said opening to identify its size.

6. The noninvasive oximetry sensor of claim 5 , wherein said indicia comprises a color.

7. A method of determining whether a noninvasive optical sensor is sized to match a plurality of patients' body tissue, the sensor being configured to output a signal indicative of light attenuated by body tissues of said monitored patient, the method comprising:

sliding a finger gauge onto a first patient's finger, said finger gauge being mechanically associated with a cable of said sensor without being a portion of a housing of said sensor;

determining whether to use said sensor on said first patient's finger depending upon the fit of the gauge to said first patient's finger, wherein a poor fit indicates said sensor should not be used;

sliding said finger gauge onto a second patient's finger; and

determining whether to use said sensor on said second patient's finger depending upon the fit of the gauge to said second patient's finger, wherein a poor fit indicates said sensor should not be used.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said sliding said mechanically associated finger gauge onto said finger comprises sliding a nonremovably associated finger gauge onto said finger.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said sliding said finger gauge onto said finger comprises sliding said finger through one or more openings in said finger gauge, said openings bounded by rounded edges about their periphery.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising designating each of said one or more openings with indicia identifying a size of said opening.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said designating comprises designating with indicia comprising differing colors.

12. A method of providing a noninvasive optical sensor with a finger sizing mechanism, the method comprising:

acquiring said optical sensor, said sensor including a light source and a detector configured to output a signal indicative of an attenuation of light by a finger of a monitored patient; and

mechanically associating a finger gauge with said optical sensor, said finger gauge having a fixed diameter and configured to determine whether said sensor is an appropriate size for said finger, wherein said sensor is configured to accommodate those finger sizes that meet said finger gauge.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said mechanical associating comprising nonremovably associating said gauge with said sensor.

14. The method of claim 12 , comprising sliding said finger into one or more openings in said finger gauge.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said finger gauge includes rounded edges about the periphery of said one or more openings.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising designating each of said one or more openings with indicia identifying a size of said opening.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said designating comprises designating with indicia comprising differing colors.