The Effect of Preoperative Oral Carbohydrate Administration on Perioperative Hypothermia in Pediatric Patients.

PURPOSE: It was aimed to compare the effects of oral carbohydrate administration 3 hours before surgery on perioperative body temperature in pediatric patients with the control group.

DESIGN

This study has a prospective, nonrandomized, and controlled design.

METHODS

A total of 40 pediatric patients aged between 2 and 15 who were scheduled for elective surgery were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: Group W (patient group given only 5 mL/kg oral water 3 hours before the surgery, n = 20) and Group C (patient group given 5 mL/kg clear carbohydrate-rich liquid orally 3 hours before surgery, n = 20). The body temperatures of the patients were measured perioperative with a tympanic thermometer at regular intervals. Values lower than 36.0 °C were considered as hypothermia. The patients were evaluated in terms of nausea, vomiting, and aspiration in the first 24 hours postoperatively.

FINDINGS: The mean body temperature of the patients in Group C was found to be statistically higher than that of Group W, starting from the 15th minute of the intraoperative period and in all subsequent measurements (P < .05). While hypothermia was observed in three patients in Group W, it was not detected in any patient in Group C. Nausea and vomiting as postoperative complications were found in 15% (n = 3) in Group W, while no patients in Group C had nausea or vomiting.

CONCLUSIONS

It was observed that preoperative oral carbohydrate loading in pediatric patients was associated with higher body temperature in the perioperative period starting from the intraoperative 15 minutes and prevented the development of hypothermia.