[Bladder temperature versus tympanic temperature in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery]

Abstract

Background: Inaccurate measurements of body temperature might be associated with complications during the perioperative period. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare the bladder temperature and the tympanic membrane temperature in patients undergoing open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Methods: Fifteen adult patients who had undergone general anesthesia with/without epidural anesthesia were included in the present cohort. The bladder and the tympanic temperatures were simultaneously recorded at 6 points during surgery. One-way repeated measures ANOVA and Bland-Altman analysis were performed to assess statistical significance. The two-tailed P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: No difference was found between the bladder and the tympanic temperatures before abdominal aortic cross-clamping. However, during and after cross-clamping, the bladder temperature values were likely to be lower compared with the tympanic values. The average temperature difference (+/- 2 SD) was 0.4 degrees C (+/- 1.1 degrees C) (95% CI: -1.21-0.78).

Conclusions: The tympanic membrane might be a reliable site for core body temperature measurement in abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery patients.