[Body temperature variations during laparoscopic cholecystectomies]

Abstract

Objective: To study changes over time in body temperature related to insufflation of CO2.

Patients and method: Fifty patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups of 25 to undergo cholecystectomy by either laparoscopy or laparotomy. Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol, pancuronium and fentanyl was used in both groups. Ventilation was maintained at 0.5 FiO2. Central temperature was continuously measured by a distal esophageal thermometer and results were recorded every 10 minutes in both groups. All operations lasted approximately 80 min.

Results: We found that temperature gradually decreased over time in both groups. In the laparotomy group the decrease reached 0.20 degree C (SD 0.03) at 80 min. During laparoscopy the temperature decrease was 0.43 degree C (SD 0.04) for the same time period. The differences were statistically significant. We observed no pathophysiologic repercussions associated with these results.

Conclusions: Laparoscopic surgery, even when the abdominal cavity is not exposed to room air, induces a loss of temperature that is greater than that of laparotomy, because of insufflation of CO2 at 4 degrees C. The decrease was 0.4 degree C for every 50 l of CO2 insufflated during the study.