Central temperature changes are poorly perceived during epidural anesthesia

• Published in: Anesthesiology (Philadelphia) Vol. 77; no. 1; pp. 10 - 16
• Main Authors: GLOSTEN, B, SESSLER, D. I, FAURE, E. A. M, KARL, L, THISTED, R. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott 01-07-1992
• Subjects: Adult; Anesthesia, Epidural; Anesthesia, Obstetrical; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Body Temperature - physiology; Cesarean Section; Cold Temperature; Emergency and intensive care: renal failure. Dialysis management; Female; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Medical sciences; Pregnancy; Sensation - physiology; Skin Temperature - physiology; Human; Regional anesthesia; Surgery; Body temperature; Extradural administration; Complication; Shivering; Cesarean section; Hypothermia
• ISSN: 0003-3022; 1528-1175
• DOI: 10.1097/00000542-199207000-00003

Hypothermia and shivering are common during epidural anesthesia for cesarean delivery but are not always accompanied by a sensation of coldness. To test the hypothesis that central temperature changes are not perceived during epidural anesthesia, we measured central and skin temperatures and thermal perception in 30 patients undergoing cesarean delivery with epidural anesthesia. Central temperature decreased 1.0 +/- 0.6 degrees C from control values during anesthesia and surgery, but thermal perception scores did not reflect central temperatures (P = 0.56) or changes in central temperature (P = 0.63). A feeling of warmth was significantly correlated with increased mean skin temperature (P = 0.02) and increased upper body skin temperature (P = 0.03). We conclude that central temperature is poorly perceived and is less important than skin temperature in determining thermal perception during high levels of epidural anesthesia.