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Perioperative hypothermia during colectomy: when do patients get cold?
Thomas E Read1,2,3, Marc Brozovich4,5, Philip F Caushaj4,6
1Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Clinical Campus of Temple University School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. thomas.read@lahey.org.
Techniques in Coloproctology
|June 2, 2018
Summary
Most temperature loss in colectomy patients happens before surgery. Focusing on pre-operative warming can help prevent infectious complications and ensure normothermia.
Area of Science:
- Colorectal surgery
- Patient safety
- Perioperative care
Background:
- Hypothermia is linked to increased infectious complications after colectomy.
- Significant temperature loss may occur before the surgical procedure begins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the timing of temperature loss in patients undergoing elective colectomy.
- To identify the optimal period for interventions to maintain normothermia.
Main Methods:
- Collected temperature data from 105 patients undergoing elective colectomy.
- Analyzed temperature changes from pre-operation through the first postoperative measurement.
Main Results:
- Median preoperative temperature dropped significantly after intubation and before leaving the operating room.
- A preoperative temperature of ≥36.5°C correlated with a first postoperative temperature of ≥36.0°C.
- Operative approach (laparoscopic vs. open) did not impact postoperative temperature.
Conclusions:
- The majority of temperature reduction occurs before colectomy surgery.
- Interventions to maintain normothermia should target the pre-operative period.
- Rewarming during surgery is less effective than preventing initial heat loss.
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