PMC9833929_01
Our patient presented with the blue/purple shade of skin characteristic of congenital methemoglobinemia.
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The patient was an otherwise healthy 15-year-old, 60 kg, Caucasian female (Figures 1 and 2), diagnosed with methemoglobinemia at birth after she was noted to have a "blue hue" without any accompanying symptoms.
Cyanosis from congenital methemoglobinemia may also result in discoloration of the extremities and nails.
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The patient was an otherwise healthy 15-year-old, 60 kg, Caucasian female (Figures 1 and 2), diagnosed with methemoglobinemia at birth after she was noted to have a "blue hue" without any accompanying symptoms.
A standard pulse oximetry reading on room air.
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Pulse oximetry on room air revealed an oxygen saturation (SpO2) of 12%-35% (Figure 3), taken on all extremities.
Our co-oximeter screen displaying pulse and cerebral oximetry values.
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Cerebral oximetry, measured with an O3 near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) module, revealed values between 40% and55% (Figure 4). As shown in Figure 4, cerebral oximetry values were visible, but the monitor was unable to detect the patient's methemoglobin level.