POST OPERATIVE HYPOTHERMIA: INCIDENCE, RELATION TO AGE AND SURGERY

Authors

  • Sham Sher Ali Khan

Abstract

Background: The normothermic status of the patients during anesthesia is disturbed and hypothermia is a potentialproblem. This study was done using Aural thermometry technique to see pattern of post-operative hypothermia.Methods: Patients (n=8Q) core temperature measurements (using aural temperature probes after proper calibration)were obtained in the perioperative period. Results: Sixty-seven patients (83%) had temperature <36°C (mean <35.1°C± 0.1) on admission to the recovery' room. This finding of definitive study was supported by an initial finding of thepreliminary study (n=103) indicating 89% of the patients with temperature <36°C on admission to the recovery room(mean 34°C ± 0.1). Elderly patients (> 65 years) and patients undergoing surgery of longer duration demonstratedhigh percentage and most marked decrease in temperature. A significant decrease in temperature, during leaving thereception area and admission to recovery room was found in all the surgical subgroups but the patients undergoingaortic reconstructive surgery showed marked decrease. Most of the patients were discharged with satisfactoryrewarming while 20% of patients were discharged from the recovery' room despite temperature below 36°C.

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