A thermodynamic model to predict the thermal response of living beings during pneumoperitoneum procedures

Abstract

In this work, hypothermia associated with pneumoperitoneum procedures is studied. A thermodynamic model is developed to allow for the computational simulation of the thermal body response to pneumoperitoneum procedures, which are required by laparoscopic surgery. The numerical results predict the body temperature decay (or loss of energy) in time when the pneumoperitoneum procedure is conducted in a patient. The influence of several operating parameters (e.g. inlet air mass flow rate and temperature) on the resulting hypothermia level is analysed. Therefore, the model allows the identification of parameters that have to be controlled to minimize the loss of energy, and consequently, the hypothermia level due to pneumoperitoneum procedures.