Body temperature changes during transurethral prostatectomy

A prospective trial was made to investigate the effects of cold irrigating solutions on body temperatures during transurethral resection of the prostate. In a control group of 45 cases, when the irrigating fluids had a mean temperature of 21.9 degree C, there was a significant fall in body temperature from 36 +/- 0.6 degree C to 34.9 +/- 0.7 degree C. In test group A to 48 cases, when the irrigating fluids had a mean temperature of 4.96 degree C, there was a significant fall in body temperature from 36.1 +/- 0.6 degree C to 34.8 +/- 0.9 degree C. In test group B (five cases) when the irrigating fluids had a mean temperature of 10.2 degree C there was a significant fall in body temperature from 36.0 +/- 0.4 to 34.6 +/- 0.8. Comparative analyses between the control group and test group A did not show significant differences in the degrees of cooling in the two groups.