[The changes of peripheral skin temperature in elderly patients under spinal anesthesia]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes of body temperature in elderly compared with younger patients during spinal anesthesia. Twenty six patients, ASA I-II were divided into two groups, (13; under 30 years of age, 13; above 60 years) who received spinal anesthesia with 0.3% dibucaine at the interspace between L 3 and L 4. All patients were anesthetized below T 8 level. Central temperature was measured at the forehead, and peripheral skin temperature was measured at the finger tip and the toe tip for 25 minutes at every 5 minutes. In both groups, forehead temperature and finger tip skin temperature were unchanged, but toe tip skin temperature increased 5 minutes after spinal anesthesia. The degree of toe tip skin temperature change was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in elderly patients and the speed was also slower. We recognized that the change in peripheral skin temperature during spinal anesthesia is not different between elderly and younger patients, but the speed of temperature change is slower in elderly patients.