Postoperative temperature measurement.

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the axillary site for temperature measurement in the postoperative patient. Axillary electronic, axillary mercury, rectal mercury, and core body temperatures were obtained in 18 postoperative patients. Rectal temperatures correlated extremely well with core temperatures, r = .98, but on average were .5 degrees C higher than core. Mercury axillary left in place for 10 minutes had the next highest correlation, r = .96, but on average were .2 degrees C lower than core. Electronic axillary were the poorest indicator of core temperature, r = .92, and were on average .6 degrees C lower than core. The correlation of -.64 between age and postoperative core temperature suggests that the elderly are most susceptible to hypothermia in a surgical setting.