Factors Affecting Intraoperative Body Temperature in Surgical Patients with Laparotomy under General Anesthesia

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The study was conducted to identify factors affecting the intraoperative core body temperature (CBT) of surgical patients under general anesthesia. METHODS: This study was performed through a prospective descriptive research design. The sample consisted of 138 patients who had undergone elective laparotomy surgery. Age, weight, height, the basal preoperative CBT, blood pressure, and heart rate were collected. CBT was again measured at induction of anesthesia, 1 hour, 2 hours, and 3 hours following induction of general anesthesia. RESULTS: Factors affecting intraoperative hypothermia <36degrees C at 1 hour following induction, were CBT at induction and total body fat (TBF) (R2=.569, p<.001); at 2 hours after induction, CBT at induction and TBF (R2=.507, p<.001); at 3 hours after induction, CBT at induction (beta=0.34), TBF, age and the ambient temperature in the operating room (R2=.449, p<.001). CONCLUSION: CBT at induction and TBF appear to be factors affecting intraoperative CBT within 2 hours after induction of anesthesia; CBT at induction, TBF, advanced age and the ambient temperature after 3 hours following induction. We recommend keeping surgical patients warm before induction of anesthesia and providing intraoperative warming for surgical patients of advanced age with low TBF and when the duration of general anesthesia will last more than 3 hours.