Laparoscopic hypothermia: heat loss from insufflation gas flow.

To determine the effects of laparoscopic gas flow on intraoperative hypothermia, we measured heat loss from intra-abdominally heating cold insufflation gas and intra-abdominal evaporative heat losses. Heat loss from heating insufflated CO2 was 304 L/Cal; evaporative loss was 109 L/Cal. Even in the worst hypothetical case of complete water saturation of dry insufflated gas, total heat loss would total 81 L/Cal, a relatively minor contribution to surgical hypothermia.