Abstract
Purpose
To document the preoperative core temperature of adult elective surgical patients.
Methods
A prospective audit obtained sublingual temperatures from 446 adult elective surgical patients on arrival in the preoperative holding area.
Results
Temperatures ranged from 35.7°C to 37.8°C with a mean of 36.5°C (0.4 SD). The median was 36.4°C and the mode was 36.1°C. There was a skewed distribution with a clustering of values at the lower end of the range. All recordings were within the accepted normothermic range.
Conclusion
The asymmetric distribution we observed differs from previously published normothermia data which shows a symmetrical distribution of temperatures. This skewed distribution has not previously been documented and we interpret it as being due to the effect of preoperative cooling factors.
Résumé
Objectif
Documenter la température centrale préopératoire de patients adultes en chirurgie élective.
Méthode
Un audit prospectif a fourni les températures sublinguales de 446 patients adultes en chirurgie élective au moment de leur arrivée à l’unité préopératoire.
Résultats
Les températures allaient de 35,7°Cà37,8°C selon une moyenne de 36,5 °C (écart type de 0,4). La médiane a été de 36,4 °C et le mode a été de 36,1 °C. Il y a eu une distribution asymétrique et un regroupement des valeurs à l’extrémité inférieure de la distribution. Toutes les valeurs enregistrées se situaient à l’intérieur d’un intervalle normothermique accepté.
Conclusion
La distribution asymétrique observée diffère des données normothermiques publiées antérieurement et qui montraient une distribution symétrique des températures. Cette distribution asymétrique n’a pas été documentée antérieurement et nous croyons qu’elle résulte de l’effet de facteurs de refroidissement préopératoire.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Schmied H, Kurz A, Sessler DI, Kozek S, Reiter A. Mild hypothermia increases blood loss and transfusion requirements during total hip arthroplasty. Lancet 1996; 347: 289–92.
Schmied H, Schiferer A, Sessler DI, Meznik C. The effects of red-cell scavenging, hemodilution, and active warming on allogenic blood requirements in patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty. Anesth Analg 1998; 86: 387–91.
Bock M, Müller J, Bach A, Böhrer H, Martin E, Motsch J. Effects of preinduction and intraoperative warming during major laparatomy. Br J Anaesth 1998; 80: 159–63.
Frank SM, Beattie C, Christopherson R, et al. Unintentional hypothermia is associated with postoperative myocardial ischemia. Anesthesiology 1993; 78: 468–76.
Frank SM, Fleisher LA, Breslow MJ, et al. Perioperative maintenance of normothermia reduces the incidence of morbid cardiac events. A randomized clinical trial. JAMA 1997; 277: 1127–34.
Kurz A, Sessler DI, Lenhardt R. Perioperative normothermia to reduce the incidence of surgical-wound infection and shorten hospitalization. N Engl J Med 1996; 334: 1209–15.
Sessler DI. Temperature monitoring.In: Miller RD (Ed.). Anesthesia, 4th Ed., New York: Churchhill Livingston, 1994: 1369–74.
Sessler DI. Perioperative heat balance. Anesthesiology 2000; 92: 578–96.
Sessler DI. Mild perioperative hypothermia. N Engl J Med 1997; 336: 1730–7.
Dhar P. Managing perioperative hypothermia. J Anesth 2000; 14: 91–7.
Holdcroft A, Hall GM, Cooper GM. Redistribution of body heat during anaesthesia. A comparison of halothane, fentanyl and epidural anaesthesia. Anaesthesia 1979; 34: 758–64.
Just B, Trevien V, Delva E, Lienhart A. Prevention of intraoperative hypothermia by preoperative skinsurface warming. Anesthesiology 1993; 79: 214–8.
New Zealand Climate Digest. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited. July 1999.
New Zealand Climate Digest. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited. August 1999.
Frank SM, Higgins MS, Breslow MJ, et al. The catecholamine, cortisol, and hemodynamic responses to mild perioperative hypothermia. Anesthesiology 1995; 82: 83–93.
Lenhardt R, Marker E, Goll V, et al. Mild intraoperative hypothermia prolongs postanesthetic recovery. Anesthesiology 1997; 87: 1318–23.
Mackowiak PA, Wasserman SS, Levine MM. A critical appraisal of 98.6F, the upper limit of the normal body temperature, and the other legacies of Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich. JAMA 1992; 268: 1578–80.
Ganong WF. Central regulation of visceral function.In: Ganong WF (Ed.). Review of Medical Physiology 19th ed., San Francisco: Lange, 1999: 239–43.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mitchell, A.M., Kennedy, R.R. Preoperative core temperatures in elective surgical patients show an unexpected skewed distribution. Can J Anesth 48, 850–853 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03017348
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03017348