Postoperative hypothermia in cancerous patients undergoing oncological surgery receiving general anesthesia

Abstract

Author(s): Ibrahem Ghaleb Ibrahem*

Hypothermia is the temperature degree below 36°C, and it is a common problem during general surgery. Extremes age groups are more exposed to perioperative hypothermia. This study described postoperative hypothermia in cancerous patients receiving general anesthesia. A retrospective study was conducted, using anesthetic reports of temperature changing through surgery and in the post-anesthesia period in cancerous patients who had undergone general surgery at June 2020 and January 2023. Two hundred patients were enrolled in this work. All patients receiving general anesthesia depending on each operations protocol. Demographic and clinical variables data were collected including age, BMI, duration of anesthesia, and amount of irrigation fluid. A tympanic thermometer (BRAUN, China) was used to measured body temperatures. The body temperatures at the time of admission, at induction of anesthesia, one hour after general anesthesia, postoperative, at waken room and one hour later were 37.0 ± 0.2°C, 36.8 ± 0.4°C, 35. 9 ± 0.3°C, 35. 7 ± 0.3°C, 35.9 ± 0.2°C and 35.9 ± 0.4°C, respectively. The incidence of hypothermia was 76.5% while normothermia was 23.5%, documenting a significant difference (X2-test= 20.07, P < 0.001). The severity of hypothermia was significantly different between the groups (X2-test= 15.33, P<0.01). The incidence of postoperative hypothermia is high. The temperature dropping is more prominent and gradually happen throughout surgical procedures. Further warming methods required to prevent postoperative hypothermia during surgery.

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