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The influence of laparoscopic surgery on perioperative heat loss in infants
1Department of Paediatric Surgery, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, SA 5006, Australia.
Insights
Laparoscopic surgery in infants showed a trend toward increased perioperative heat loss compared to open procedures. Further research is needed for complex infant laparoscopic surgeries to prevent hypothermia.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Surgical Complications
- Thermoregulation
Background:
- Perioperative heat loss is a significant risk for infants undergoing surgery.
- The impact of minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques on infant body temperature has not been established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of laparoscopic surgery on perioperative heat loss in infants.
- To compare heat loss in infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy versus open pyloromyotomy.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of 26 infants who underwent laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.
- Comparison with 42 control infants who had open pyloromyotomy during the same period.
- Analysis of perioperative temperature changes in both groups.
Main Results:
- The mean temperature drop was -0.69°C in the laparoscopic group and -0.47°C in the open group.
- This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.077).
- A trend towards greater heat loss was observed in the laparoscopic surgery group.
Conclusions:
- Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy in infants may be associated with a trend towards increased perioperative heat loss.
- The findings suggest potential implications for longer or more complex infant laparoscopic procedures.
- Further investigation is warranted to fully understand thermoregulatory challenges in infant laparoscopic surgery.
Abstract:
Perioperative heat loss is a potentially serious complication of surgery in infants. The influence of laparoscopic surgery on perioperative hypothermia has not previously been documented. We reviewed heat loss in 26 infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomies compared with 42 control patients having the standard open procedure over the same time period. The mean fall in temperature in the laparoscopic group was -0.69 degreesC compared with -0.47 degreesC in the open group. This difference was not significant, with a P value of 0.077. This may reflect the small sample size and the relatively short duration of this procedure with few instrument changes. There was a trend for increased heat loss in the laparoscopic group, which might have implications for longer and more complex laparoscopic procedures in infants.
