Isothermic irrigation during transurethral resection of the prostate: effects on peri-operative hypothermia, blood loss, resection time and patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effect using irrigation fluid at body temperature (isothermic) on patients' (core) temperature during a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and on the amount of peri-operative blood loss, the resection time and the subjective assessment of comfort by the patients.

PATIENT AND METHODS

In a randomized study, patients undergoing TURP under spinal anaesthesia were divided into those receiving either isothermic irrigation fluid (Group 1.28 patients) or fluid at room temperature (Group 2.31 patients). In Group 1, a fluid heater maintained the irrigation fluid at body temperature until it reached the bladder. The body temperature of the patients was recorded rectally and orally during and after TURP and the peri-operative blood loss was also measured. The patients were interviewed on the first day after TURP to determine their assessment of comfort during the procedure.

RESULTS

The decrease in body temperature was 0.74 degree C in Group 1 and 1.71 degrees C in Group 2, which was significantly different (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in blood loss or resection-time. In Group 1, only four (14%) of the patients were aware that their body was cooler, compared to 15 (50%) in Group 2 (P = 0.038).

CONCLUSION

Isothermic irrigation during TURP prevents excessive cooling and reduces the level of hypothermia. The reported increased mortality after TURP is probably related to peri-operative cardiac stress, an important factor which could be caused by the rapid decrease in body temperature which accompanies normal irrigation. Because the heating equipment presently available does not interfere with TURP, there are strong arguments for performing every TURP with irrigation fluid at body temperature.