Effects of heated-humidified anesthetic gas in the elderly patients with colorectal cancer during laparoscopic surgery: Randomized controlled trial

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate effects of heated-humidified anesthetic gas on body temperature, acid-base balance, blood cortisol, and lymphocyte in the elderly patients with colorectal cancer during laparoscopic surgery. Methods: This study utilized an experimental design with a randomized controlled trial. A total of 60 patients with colorectal cancer were randomly assigned to one of two groups: either to the heated-humidified anesthetic gas group or to the usual anesthetic gas group. The following variables were measured: body temperature, acid-base balance, blood cortisol, and lymphocyte. The data were analyzed with independent t-test, x² test, ANCOVA, and repeated ANOVA using SPSS/WIN 20.0. Results: There was a significant difference in body temperature between the experimental group and the control group during laparoscopic surgery (F=41.18, p<.001). However, no statistically significant differences were found in acid-base balance, blood cortisol, and lymphocyte between two groups. Conclusion: In this study, the body temperature during laparoscopic surgery was more effectively maintained with the heated-humidified anesthetic gas compared with the regular anesthetic gas. Therefore, the heated-humidified anesthetic gas might be considered to maintain the body temperature during laparoscopic surgery especially in the elderly population.