EFFECT OF HALOTHANE, ENFLURANE AND ISOFLURANE ON BODY TEMPERATURE DURING AND AFTER SURGERY

The superficial and deep body temperatures of 40 healthy femalesundergoing total abdominal hysterectomy were measured duringsurgery and for 4 h afterwards. The patients were allocatedrandomly to one of five groups and anaesthetized to producean end-tidal concentration of 1% halothane, 1% enflurane, 2%enflurane, 1% isoflurane or 2% isoflurane. The patients receivedalso 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen and neuromuscular blockade.The theatre temperature was maintained at 22.0°C. Therewere significant body temperature changes during operation inall groups. The mean (SD) decrease in core temperature over85 min was approximately 1.1 (0.3) °C in the 1% halothane,2% enflurane and 2% isoflurane groups, and 0.6 (0.4) °Cin the 1% enflurane and 1% isoflurane groups (P<0.05). Duringthe recovery period the 1% halothane, 2% enflurane and 2% isofluranegroups took 2 h to rewarm to preoperative temperatures, andthe rate of rewarming during this time was similar for all groups.