Comparison of finger and forehead oximetry sensors in postanesthesia care patients.

We compared loss of pulse oximetry signal (dropout rates) for both finger and forehead sensors in postanesthesia patients. Pulse oximetry is a widely practiced method for measuring oxygen saturation. Several studies in various patient populations have demonstrated that low flow states, patient movement, and hypothermia may result in poor signal quality with the use of finger oximetry sensors.