Measurement of corpse temperature is mainly used for estimation of early postmortem interval, and rectal temperature is often used as a representative of body's core temperature in actual work because it is simple, quick and non-invasive. At present, the rectal temperature postmortem interval estimation method internationally accepted and widely used is HENSSGE's nomogram method, while many domestic scholars also deduced their own regression equations through a large number of case data. Estimation of postmortem interval based on rectal temperature still needs further study. The nomogram method needs to be optimized and extended, and quantification of its influencing factors needs to be dealt with more scientifically. There is still a lack of consensus on the probability and duration of the temperature plateau. There is no clear understanding of the probability and extent of the change in initial temperature caused by various causes. New methods and ideas enrich methodological research, but it still lacks systemicity and practicality. This article reviews the researches on estimation of postmortem interval based on rectal temperature in order to summarize the current situation of previous researches and seek new breakthrough points. Because the decline of body temperature can be easily influenced by many factors in vitro and vivo, and the influencing factors in different regions vary greatly, regionalization research and application may be a practical exploration to improve the accuracy of postmortem interval determination.
Autopsy ; Body Temperature ; Cadaver ; Humans ; Postmortem Changes ; Probability ; Temperature ; Time Factors

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 21℃ CO₂ and 37℃ CO₂ pneumoperitoneum on body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and acid-base balance. METHODS: Data were collected at a 1300-bed university hospital in Incheon, from February through September 2012. A total of 74 patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy under general anesthesia with desflurane were randomly allocated to either a control group or an experimental group. The control group received 21℃ CO₂ pneumoperitoneum; the experimental group received 37℃ CO₂ pneumoperitoneum. The pneumoperitoneum of the two groups was under abdominal pressure 15 mmHg. Body temperature, systolic blood pressure, heart rate and acid-base balance were assessed at 30 minutes and 90 minutes after pneumoperitoneum, and again at 30 minutes after arriving at the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. RESULTS: Body temperature in the 37℃ CO2 pneumoperitoneum group was significantly higher (F=9.43, p<.001) compared to the 21℃ CO₂ group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in systolic blood pressure (p=.895), heart rate (p=.340), pH (p=.231), PaCO₂ (p=.490) and HCO3- (p=.768) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Pneumoperitoneum of 37℃ CO₂ is effective for the increase of body temperature compared to pneumoperitonium of 21℃ CO₂, and it does not result in a decrease of blood pressure, heart rate or acid-base imbalance.
Acid-Base Equilibrium* ; Acid-Base Imbalance ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Temperature Changes ; Body Temperature* ; Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Colectomy ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Incheon ; Laparoscopy ; Pneumoperitoneum*

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of active warming using a Warm Touch warming system or a cotton blanket in postoperative patients after general anesthesia for abdominal surgery.METHODS: This quasi-experimental study utilized two experimental groups and one control group: a cotton-blanket group (n = 25) were warmed with a cotton blanket and a sheet; a forced-air warming group (n = 24) were warmed with a Warm Touch warming system, a cotton blanket, and a sheet; and a control group (n = 25) were warmed with a sheet. Measurement variables were postoperative pain, body temperature, and thermal discomfort. Data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA, χ2-tests, Fisher's exact test, and a repeated measures ANOVA.RESULTS: The effects of active warming using a Warm Touch warming system and a cotton blanket on postoperative patients was significant in reducing pain (F = 13.91, p < .001) and increasing body temperature (F = 12.49, p < .001).CONCLUSION: Active warming made a significant difference in pain and body temperature changes. Active warming methods may help patients' postoperative recovery and prevent complications. Further research is needed to explore the effects and side effects of active warming on recovering normothermia.
Anesthesia, General ; Body Temperature ; Body Temperature Changes ; Humans ; Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postanesthesia Nursing

PURPOSE: The study aimed to evaluate the changes of body temperature and to identify the factors related to changes during surgery in burned patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of 439 adult burned patients who had a surgery under general anesthesia at the Burn Center of a university hospital. RESULTS: After surgery, body temperature of the burned patients declined from 36.6℃ to 35.2℃; 52.2% were hypothermia. There were significant differences in the changes of body temperature according to the participants' characteristics including American society of anesthesiologists physical status, type of burn injury, total burn surface area, range of exposure, operation time, anesthesia time, amount of fluid, blood transfusion, use of tourniquet, and the method of warming therapy. Factors that influence the temperature changes were total burn surface area (β=0.26), operation time (β=0.25), amount of fluid (0.20), and warming therapy including ‘Room temperature setting + Heated circuit + Hot line’(β=0.09) and ‘Room temperature setting+one of others’(β=0.08). CONCLUSION: Burned patients experienced a decrease of their body temperature during surgery despite of warming therapy. A nursing protocol is needed to provide an appropriate warming therapy based on their characteristics in burned patients.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Blood Transfusion ; Body Temperature Changes* ; Body Temperature* ; Burn Units ; Burns* ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hypothermia* ; Incidence* ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Nursing Assessment ; Retrospective Studies ; Tourniquets

PURPOSE: The trend of body temperature change during laparoscopic surgery and the most adequate site for monitoring temperature measurements have not been investigated thoroughly. In this study body temperature change during laparoscopic surgery was measured and measurements of the tympanic, esophageal, and nasopharyngeal core temperatures in surgical patients with total intravenous anesthesia were compared. METHODS: From February to October 2013, 28 laparoscopic surgical patients were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Seoul. The patients' core temperature was measured 12 times at ten minute intervals from ten minutes after the beginning of endotracheal intubation. RESULTS: Repeated measure of core temperatures indicated a significant difference according to body part (p=.033), time of measure (p<.001) and the reciprocal interaction between body part and time of measure (p<.027). The core temperatures were highest at tympany location, lowest at nasopharynx. The amount of temperature change was least for the esophagus (36.10~36.33degrees C), followed by nasopharynx and tympany. CONCLUSION: The esophageal core temperature showed the highest stability followed by nasopharyngeal and tympanic temperature. Therefore, close observations are required between 10~20minutes after the beginning of the operation.
Anesthesia, Intravenous* ; Body Temperature Changes ; Esophagus ; Human Body* ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laparoscopes* ; Laparoscopy ; Nasopharynx ; Seoul ; Tertiary Care Centers

BACKGROUND: Rapid fluid warming has been a cardinal measure to maintain normothermia during fluid resuscitation of hypovolemic patients. A previous laboratory simulation study with different fluid infusion rates showed that a fluid warmer using magnetic induction is superior to a warmer using countercurrent heat exchange. We tested whether the simulation-based result is translated into the clinical liver transplantation. METHODS: Two hundred twenty recipients who underwent living donor liver transplantation between April 2009 and October 2011 were initially screened. Seventeen recipients given a magnetic induction warmer (FMS2000) were matched 1 : 1 with those given a countercurrent heat exchange warmer (Level-1 H-1000) based on propensity score. Matched variables included age, gender, body mass index, model for end-stage liver disease score, graft size and time under anesthesia. Core temperatures were taken at predetermined time points. RESULTS: Level-1 and FMS groups had comparable core temperature throughout the surgery from skin incision, the beginning/end of the anhepatic phase to skin closure. (P = 0.165, repeated measures ANOVA). The degree of core temperature changes within the dissection, anhepatic and postreperfusion phase were also comparable between the two groups. The minimum intraoperative core temperature was also comparable (Level 1, 35.6degrees C vs. FMS, 35.4degrees C, P = 0.122). CONCLUSIONS: A countercurrent heat exchange warmer and magnetic induction warmer displayed comparable function regarding the maintenance of core temperature and prevention of hypothermia during living donor liver transplantation. The applicability of the two devices in liver transplantation needs to be evaluated in various populations and clinical settings.
Anesthesia ; Body Mass Index ; Body Temperature Changes ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Hypovolemia ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation* ; Living Donors* ; Propensity Score ; Resuscitation ; Rewarming ; Skin ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Rapid fluid warming has been a cardinal measure to maintain normothermia during fluid resuscitation of hypovolemic patients. A previous laboratory simulation study with different fluid infusion rates showed that a fluid warmer using magnetic induction is superior to a warmer using countercurrent heat exchange. We tested whether the simulation-based result is translated into the clinical liver transplantation. METHODS: Two hundred twenty recipients who underwent living donor liver transplantation between April 2009 and October 2011 were initially screened. Seventeen recipients given a magnetic induction warmer (FMS2000) were matched 1 : 1 with those given a countercurrent heat exchange warmer (Level-1 H-1000) based on propensity score. Matched variables included age, gender, body mass index, model for end-stage liver disease score, graft size and time under anesthesia. Core temperatures were taken at predetermined time points. RESULTS: Level-1 and FMS groups had comparable core temperature throughout the surgery from skin incision, the beginning/end of the anhepatic phase to skin closure. (P = 0.165, repeated measures ANOVA). The degree of core temperature changes within the dissection, anhepatic and postreperfusion phase were also comparable between the two groups. The minimum intraoperative core temperature was also comparable (Level 1, 35.6degrees C vs. FMS, 35.4degrees C, P = 0.122). CONCLUSIONS: A countercurrent heat exchange warmer and magnetic induction warmer displayed comparable function regarding the maintenance of core temperature and prevention of hypothermia during living donor liver transplantation. The applicability of the two devices in liver transplantation needs to be evaluated in various populations and clinical settings.
Anesthesia ; Body Mass Index ; Body Temperature Changes ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Hypovolemia ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation* ; Living Donors* ; Propensity Score ; Resuscitation ; Rewarming ; Skin ; Transplants

Relationship between ATP changes of rabbit blood and postmortem interval (PMI) was studied. Twenty-four healthy rabbits were sacrificed and randomly divided into 3 groups with 8 rabbits of each group. The bodies of three groups were placed in calorstat at temperature of 15°C, 25°C and 35°C, respectively. The blood from the right ventricle was sampled through indwelling needle each 4 h until 72 h after death. ATP levels in the blood samples were measured by using ATP fluorescence rapid detection technique at different PMIs. Blood ATP levels slightly increased in the early stage after death and then constantly declined at all temperatures (15°C, 25°C, and 35°C). Cubic polynomial regression equations with log[ATP] as dependent variable (y) and PMI as independent variable (x) at different temperatures and the optimal time period were established as followed: Under 15°C and during 16-64 h after death, y=-3.027×10(-5)x(3)+0.003x(2)-0.096x-10.625 (R a (2)=0.992, P<0.001); under 25°C and during 8-56 h after death, y=-2.921×10(-5)x(3)+0.002x(2)-0.059x-11.186 (R a (2)=0.989, P<0.001); under 35dgC and during 4-36 h after death, y=-9.769×10(-5)x(3)+ 0.005x(2)-0.117x-11.166 (R a (2)=0.991, P<0.001). The changes in ATP levels in blood collected from right ventricle of rabbit cadavers showed relatively stable and regular degradation within 72 h after death at different temperatures.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; blood ; Animals ; Autopsy ; methods ; Body Temperature ; physiology ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; methods ; Male ; Postmortem Changes ; Rabbits ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Accurate estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) has been one of the most important and complicated issues in the forensic practice. In order to provide novel perspectives for the future research concerning PMI, the advantages and disadvantages of related traditional methods, postmortem degradation of nucleic acid and tissue, the componential change of vitreous humor and histological biochemistry since 2002 have been introduced and compared in this review.
Animals ; Autopsy ; Body Temperature ; DNA/metabolism* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal/pathology* ; Nucleic Acids/metabolism* ; Postmortem Changes ; Potassium/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Regression Analysis ; Time Factors ; Vitreous Body/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between postmortem interval (PMI) and concentration changes of components in swine vitreous humor. METHODS: Ninety-six porcine eyes from swine dying from acute massive hemorrhage, being randomly divided into 24 groups, were stored in dark situation, at temperature of (15 +/- 2) degrees C and humidity of (50 +/- 5)% for 2-96 hours separately. The vitreous humor was collected. Concentrations of K+, Na+, Cl- and hypoxanthine (Hx) were analyzed by automatic biochemical analyzer and ultra performance liquid chromatograph (UPLC). The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis showed that concentrations of vitreous K+ and Hx were positively correlated with PMI(R2=0.767 and R2 = 0.793, respectively). Binary linear regression showed a higher correlation for K+ and Hx with PMI estimation (R2 = 0.866). PMI was not significantly correlated with vitreous Na+ and Cl- concentrations. CONCLUSION Vitreous K+ and Hx concentrations can be used as the objective markers for PMI estimation. The binary linear regression functions of vitreous K+ and Hx concentrations with PMI are more accurate for estimating the PMI.
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Hypoxanthine/analysis* ; Male ; Postmortem Changes ; Potassium/analysis* ; Regression Analysis ; Sodium/analysis* ; Swine ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Vitreous Body/chemistry*