End-point temperature of rewarming after hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in pediatric patients.

In an attempt to find an adequate end-point rewarming temperature after hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), 50 pediatric patients who underwent cardiac surgery were randomly assigned for the end-point rectal rewarming temperature at either 35.5 (Group 1) or 37.0 degrees C (Group 2). The patients' rectal temperature, with heart rate and blood pressure, was measured 0.5, 1.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 16.0 h after the arrival in the intensive care unit. For all patients, nonpulsatile perfusion with a roller pump and a membrane or bubble oxygenator was used for oxygenation. Age, sex, body surface area, total bypass time, and rewarming time were comparable in both groups. No afterdrop and no statistical differences in the rectal temperatures between the two groups were observed. Also, no statistical differences were observed between the two groups with respect to the heart rate and blood pressure. No shivering was noted in all patients. In conclusion, with the restoration of rectal temperature above 35.5 degrees C at the end of CPB in pediatric patients, the present study found no afterdrop.