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Comparison of Carotid Artery Surface Temperature versus Axillary Surface Temperature in Children Undergoing Surgeries

Sonal Sagar Khatavkar1, Ashish Erry

  • 1Department of Anaesthesiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune 411018, Maharashtra, India.

Annals of African Medicine
|July 2, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Carotid artery surface temperature accurately reflects core body temperature in children during surgery. Axillary temperature monitoring is unreliable for pediatric patients, showing significant underestimation of core temperature.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Perioperative Thermoregulation
  • Medical Device Accuracy

Background:

  • Pediatric patients are vulnerable to intraoperative hypothermia due to physiological factors.
  • Accurate core body temperature monitoring is crucial during pediatric anesthesia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the accuracy of noninvasive carotid artery and axillary surface temperatures against nasopharyngeal core temperature in children.
  • Evaluate noninvasive thermometry methods for pediatric surgical patients.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, randomized, double-blind observational study.
  • 130 pediatric patients (1-6 years) undergoing elective surgery >2h.
  • Comparison of nasopharyngeal, carotid surface, and axillary temperatures.

Main Results:

  • Carotid artery surface temperature showed strong correlation and minimal bias (0.10°C) compared to nasopharyngeal temperature.
  • Axillary temperature significantly underestimated core temperature by 1.0°C-1.3°C (P < 0.0001).
  • Hemodynamic parameters were comparable between groups.

Conclusions:

  • Carotid artery surface thermometry is a reliable, noninvasive alternative for monitoring pediatric core body temperature.
  • Axillary temperature monitoring is insufficiently accurate for pediatric intraoperative use.
Abstract

Keywords:
Anesthésie pédiatriqueAxillary temperaturecarotid artery surface temperaturehypothermie peropératoireintraoperative hypothermiapediatric anesthesiatempérature axillairetempérature cutanée carotidiennethermoregulationthermorégulation

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