Differences in temperature changes between pediatric and adult patients after cardiopulmonary bypass

Nasopharyngeal (NPT) and rectal (RT) temperatures were continuously monitored in 51 adult or pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures until 1 hour after the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The measurement also included the lowest NPT achieved and the dwelling time at that temperature on CPB, the rewarming time, the time on CPB, and the time that the chest remained opened after CPB. After the termination of CPB, the decrease of NPT (afterdrop) was significantly greater in the adult group than in the pediatric group. The mean decrease in adult patients was 1.34 +/- 0.65 degrees C versus 0.63 +/- 0.8 degrees C in pediatric patients. The combination of the NPT at the end of bypass (EndNPT), body weight times the EndNPT, and the dwelling of the lowest temperature times the EndNPT could predict 45% of the afterdrop. It is concluded that afterdrop occurs to a lesser degree in pediatric patients than in adults. This may be due to more efficient supplying of external heat to pediatric patients in whom there is a larger body surface area to weight ratio.