Effects of different operating room temperatures on the body temperature undergoing live liver donor hepatectomy

We sought to compare the effects of operation room temperature (ORT) at typical ambient environment (19-21 degrees C) and ORT at 24 degrees C on the core temperature of patients undergoing living donor hepatectomy.

Sixty-two patients undergoing living donor hepatectomy were divided into 2 groups. In group I (n = 31), surgery was performed at typical ambient ORT, and in group II (n = 31) in ORT at 24 degrees C. Anesthesia and measures to prevent heat loss, except ORT, were all the same. Nasopharyngeal temperature (NT) was recorded after anesthesia induction, then hourly until completion of the operation. Changes in NTs were analyzed as well as patient age, weight, anesthetic duration, blood loss, intravenous fluids, total urine output, and pre- and postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit values. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparisons between groups.

The patient's characteristics between groups were not statistically different. However, a significantly higher core temperature was noted in group II compared with group I. Increased ORT from 19 to 21 degrees C to 24 degrees C resulted in an increased core temperature of at least 0.5 degrees C during living donor hepatectomy.