Infrared thermometer: An accurate tool for temperature measurement during renal surgery

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate infrared thermometer (IRT) accuracy compared to standard digital thermometer in measuring kidney temperature during arterial clamping with and without renal cooling. Materials and Methods: 20 pigs weighting 20Kg underwent selective right renal arterial clamping, 10 with (Group 1 - Cold Ischemia with ice slush) and 10 without renal cooling (Group 2 - Warm Ischemia). Arterial clamping was performed without venous clamping. Renal temperature was serially measured following clamping of the main renal artery with the IRT and a digital contact thermometer (DT): immediate after clamping (T0), after 2 (T2), 5 (T5) and 10 minutes (T10). Temperature values were expressed in mean, standard deviation and range for each thermometer. We used the T student test to compare means and considered p < 0.05 to be statistically significant. Results: In Group 1, mean DT surface temperature decrease was 12.6 ± 4.1°C (5-19°C) while deep DT temperature decrease was 15.8 ± 1.5°C (15-18°C). For the IRT, mean temperature decrease was 9.1 ± 3.8°C (3-14°C). There was no statistically significant difference between thermometers. In Group 2, surface temperature decrease for DT was 2.7 ± 1.8°C (0-4°C) and mean deep temperature decrease was 0.5 ± 1.0°C (0-3°C). For IRT, mean temperature decrease was 3.1 ± 1.9°C (0-6°C). No statistically significant difference between thermometers was found at any time point. Conclusions: IRT proved to be an accurate non-invasive precise device for renal temperature monitoring during kidney surgery. External ice slush cooling confirmed to be fast and effective at cooling the pig model.