Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
Published on: November 21, 2017
Hypothermia during burn surgery and postoperative acute lung injury in extensively burned patients
Jun Oda1, Kosuke Kasai, Mitsuhiro Noborio
1Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. junoda@v001.vaio.ne.jp
Background:
Respiratory dysfunction remains one of the major complications after burn surgery in extensively burned patients. We evaluated the relationship between the invasiveness of burn surgery and acute lung injury (ALI).
Methods:
Patients admitted to our burn unit between 2006 and 2007 with burns greater than or equal to 30% of the total body surface area without severe inhalation injury were entered into this study. Of sixteen patients (mean age, 49.4 +/- 19.3 years, total body surface area 46.0% +/- 14.9%) who underwent burn surgery (3-6 days postburn), vital signs, hemodynamic parameters, blood gas analysis, and peak inspiratory pressure were recorded. Lung injury severity (LIS) score was serially determined. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed before and 24 hour postoperatively.
Results:
Body temperature and LIS score preoperatively (baseline) were 37.1 degrees C +/- 0.9 degrees C and 3.8 degrees C +/- 2.2 degrees C, respectively. LIS score increased with increased polymorphonuclear neutrophil in BAL 24 hour postoperatively in 7 of 10 patients with intraoperative temperature decreasing more than 1 degrees C. Extent of excision (20.3% +/- 6.7%), transfusion (4.3 +/- 3.0 units), or duration of surgery (147 +/- 49 minutes) alone did not show significant correlation with the development of ALI postoperatively.
Conclusion:
In patients with severe burn injury, hypothermia during surgery despite aggressive intraoperative warming is significantly correlated with the development of ALI with increased polymorphonuclear neutrophil in BAL and may reflect the severity of invasiveness.
Related Concept Videos
Decreased Body Temperature
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Acute Respiratory Failure-V
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...
Burn Injuries
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
Acute Respiratory Failure-III
Acute Respiratory Failure-IV

