Hypothermia during transurethral resection of prostate

Hypothermia during transurethral resection of the prostate has received relatively little attention in the urologic literature. Allen in 1973 found that with the use of room-temperature solutions the temperature drop was linear and time related up to 105 minutes. The study did not record temperatures beyond that time. In the present study, the temperatures of 16 patients were monitored for at least six hours after onset of surgery. Some patients were mildly hypothermic (35 degrees C or 95 degrees F), but the average patient's temperature continued to drop for three hours after onset of surgery. At this time, the mean nadir was 35.6 degrees C (96 degrees F). The pathophysiology of cold in the elderly with specific reference to the cardiovascular system is discussed. Warm solutions are recommended for TURP.