Effect of bowel exposure on body temperature during surgical operations

Abstract

Exposure of bowel causes increased evaporative heat loss which can, in experimental animals, cause a pronounced fall in body temperature. Return of the cold exposed bowel to the abdominal cavity causes a further fall in body temperature. These problems can be avoided by enclosing the bowel in a plastic envelope and irrigating the abdominal cavity with warm saline solution after the bowel has been returned to the abdominal cavity.