Examining postoperative hypothermia on elderly patients

This research has been conducted with the aim of examining the postoperative hypothermia among the elderly patients who have had operation in the General Surgery Clinic and Gynecology and Obstetri Clinic of Dokuz Eylül University Hospital; finding out the factors that lead to hypotermia and to rewarming time and searching out the effects of these factors. 65 year old and older 34 patients who have had abdomen operations are contained in this research. The patient identification form which consists of three parts is used to collect data. The information about the patient, second part includes the information about the operation and the body temperature, and the third part includes the records of body temparature and rewarming time measured in postoperative period. The records of postoperative axillar body temperature and rewarming time of 65 year old and older 34 patients taken one day before they have an abdomen operation make up the dependent variables of this work. The data obtained have been cross-examined by percentage test, Correlation Analysis and repeated measures ANOVA. The difference between the average body temperature at the end of the operation; and the difference between the average preoperative body temperature and the average body temperature on arrival to the unit, have been found statistically meaningful. (F=113.97; p<0.001)