Abstract Aim To understand the relation between intraoperative hypothermia and theatre temperature in Orthopaedic trauma list. Method Prospective analysis of patients listed in the trauma list at a busy district general hospital in NHS. The data collected included duration of surgery, preoperative temperature, pre induction temperature, intra-operative, post procedure, temperature in recovery and temperature post recovery, and mean ambient theatre temperature. Statistical calculations were performed on StatsDirect3 software. Results A total of 100 patients were included in the study from 1 Aug 2023 to 30 September 2023. Intraoperative hypothermia (core body temperature <= 36) was 21%. Preoperative temperature (p=0.033) and preinduction temperature (p<0.001) was statistically significant factor in influencing the intraoperative temperature. Theatre temperature was an independent predictor of intraoperative hypothermia on regression analysis (p<0.001). Conclusions Theatre temperature of 19.5 to 20.5 °C results in a core body intraoperative temperature of 36.3 to 37.3°C. Temperatures below 19.5 results in higher incidence of hypothermia. Preinduction temperature of 36.4°C results in intraoperative temperature of 36°C and a preinduction temperature of 37.1°C leads to intraoperative temperature of 36.7°C. This indicates that preoperative warming as well as a theatre temperature of 19.5 to 20.5 °C will help in reduction of the intraoperative hypothermia.
Read full abstract