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Monitoring temperature in children undergoing anaesthesia: a comparison of methods
T F E Drake-Brockman1, M Hegarty, N A Chambers
1Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, and School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Perioperative temperature monitoring in children is crucial. This study found significant variations in temperature readings depending on the measurement site, impacting hypothermia detection.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Medical Thermometry
Background:
- Children undergoing anesthesia are susceptible to hypothermia.
- Perioperative temperature monitoring is standard practice and a key indicator of anesthetic performance.
- Various methods and sites for temperature measurement are used, but their interchangeability is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the relationships between temperatures measured at different sites in anesthetized children.
- To assess the interchangeability of various perioperative temperature measurement sites.
Main Methods:
- Prospective recruitment of 200 children (0-17 years) undergoing general anesthesia for elective non-cardiac surgery.
- Concurrent temperature measurements taken at nasopharynx, tympanic membranes, temporal artery, axilla, and skin (chest).
- Documentation of patient age and weight.
Main Results:
- Temperatures varied significantly by measurement site.
- Mean differences from nasopharyngeal temperature ranged from +0.24°C (tympanic, temporal) to -1.70°C (skin).
- Tympanic and temporal temperatures showed better agreement with nasopharyngeal readings and superior detection of mild hypothermia compared to axillary and skin temperatures.
Conclusions:
- Measured temperatures differ substantially depending on the site.
- Tympanic and temporal artery measurements are more reliable than axillary or skin for detecting hypothermia in anesthetized children.
- Understanding site-specific variations is essential for accurate interpretation of perioperative temperature readings.
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