Is Temperature Monitoring Necessary in Pediatric Circumcision?

Objective: Perioperative hypothermia occurs in the pediatric age group in the perioperative period at a high rate. In this study, it is aimed to reveal the incidence of perioperative hypothermia and the risk factors that play a role in its development in pediatric circumcision cases that have a brief operation duration.

Materials and Methods: This prospective observational cohort study included 100 children who underwent circumcision under general anesthesia. All patients were heated with a passive heater and hypothermia was interpreted as a drop in body temperature below <36˚C. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (patients with body temperature <36˚C) and group 2 (≥36˚C). Demographic data, the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Classification of Physical Health Score, premedication method, operation time, fluid amount, preoperative and postoperative temperature of patients as tympanic were recorded.

Results: The average age of the patients was 70 ± 40 months (median: 84) and 93% were ASA I. In 71% of patients, a decrease in body temperature and hypothermia developed in 39% compared to baseline. The duration of operation was longer in the group with hypothermia (30 min [15-70] vs. 25 min [15-60], P < .001). Only the duration of operation was determined as the independent risk factor associated with hypothermia (odds ratio: 1.103 [1.017-1.197], P=.018).

Conclusion: In this study, it was found that high rates of hypothermia developed even in minor operations such as pediatric circumcision. The risk of hypothermia increases with the prolongation of surgery.

Cite this article as: Sahutoglu C, Bor C, Dokumcu Z, Balcioglu T. Is temperature monitoring necessary in pediatric circumcision? Eurasian J Med 2022;54(1):41-44.