Core temperature changes during open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery.
BACKGROUND
Perioperative hypothermia increases the morbidity of surgery. However, the true incidence of hypothermia during prolonged laparoscopic surgery is still unknown. To investigate this issue, we compared the temperature change between patients undergoing open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery.


METHODS
Sixty consecutive patients who were undergoing laparoscopic (33) or open (27) colorectal surgery had a transesophageal temperature probe placed after induction of anesthesia. Core temperature values were measured at 15-min intervals.


RESULTS
The groups were not statistically different with respect to age, sex, body surface area, or initial transesophageal temperature. The type of surgical access (open or laparoscopic) caused no difference in the incidence of hypothermia. The use of a forced-air warming device produced significantly less hypothermia during laparoscopic surgery. Men showed significantly less variability in temperature change than women.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of hypothermia in open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery is similar. Forced-air warming devices are of value in prolonged laparoscopic surgery. A gender difference in the response to a hypothermic situation has not been previously reported. This finding warrants further investigation.
Luck
A J
AJ
Division of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville South, South Australia 5011, Australia.
Moyes
D
D
Maddern
G J
GJ
Hewett
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001831:Body Temperature; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015994:Incidence; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010535:Laparoscopy; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome