Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
06:43

Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management

Published on: November 21, 2017

Consequences of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia

Anthony G Doufas1

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology/Neuroscience and Anesthesia ICU, and Outcomes Research Institute, University of Louisville Hospital, 530 South Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. agdoufas@Louisville.edu

Best Practice & Research. Clinical Anaesthesiology
|December 10, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Perioperative hypothermia significantly increases risks for heart problems, blood loss, and infections. This core body temperature drop also impacts immune function, wound healing, and anesthesia recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Surgical Outcomes
  • Patient Safety

Background:

  • Perioperative hypothermia is a common complication during surgery.
  • Hypothermia is linked to increased myocardial events, blood loss, and infection risk.
  • The underlying molecular mechanisms require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the adverse effects of perioperative hypothermia.
  • To highlight the impact on myocardial outcomes, transfusion needs, and infection rates.
  • To discuss the influence on immune defenses, wound healing, and anesthetic recovery.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on perioperative hypothermia.
  • Analysis of studies reporting myocardial outcomes, blood loss, and infection incidence.
  • Examination of data on immune function, wound healing, and anesthetic drug interactions.

Main Results:

  • Core hypothermia triples the incidence of adverse myocardial outcomes in high-risk patients.
  • Mild hypothermia increases blood loss and the need for allogeneic transfusions.
  • A 1.9°C core temperature drop triples surgical wound infection rates and extends hospitalization by 20%.

Conclusions:

  • Perioperative hypothermia poses significant risks, including cardiac events, increased bleeding, and infections.
  • Hypothermia impairs immune responses and oxygen delivery to tissues, affecting wound healing.
  • It alters anesthetic drug pharmacokinetics and delays patient recovery, necessitating careful temperature management.

More Related Videos

In vitro Assessment of Myocardial Protection following Hypothermia-Preconditioning in a Human Cardiac Myocytes Model08:22

In vitro Assessment of Myocardial Protection following Hypothermia-Preconditioning in a Human Cardiac Myocytes Model

Published on: October 27, 2020

Short-Duration Hypothermia Induction in Rats using Models for Studies examining Clinical Relevance and Mechanisms05:00

Short-Duration Hypothermia Induction in Rats using Models for Studies examining Clinical Relevance and Mechanisms

Published on: March 3, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Factors Affecting Body Temperature01:28

Factors Affecting Body Temperature

As a nurse, it is vital to understand the factors affecting body temperature to monitor variations and effectively evaluate deviations from regular.
Factors may  include:
Increased Body Temperature01:25

Increased Body Temperature

A body temperature above  38°C  (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in response to an infection or illness.
Methods of reducing fever01:22

Methods of reducing fever

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
Decreased Body Temperature01:29

Decreased Body Temperature

A decreased body temperature can occur in patients with hypothermia and frostbite. Heat loss with extended cold exposure overpowers the body's ability to create heat, resulting in hypothermia. Core temperature readings help classify hypothermia. Mild hypothermia is temperatures between 32 °C (89.6 °F) and 35°C (95 °F) and is caused by impaired thermoregulation. Moderate hypothermia is temperatures between 28 C (82.4 °F) and 32 °C (89.6 °F) caused by sustained extreme cold exposure, and severe...
Temperature Measurement Sites01:14

Temperature Measurement Sites

A thermometer measures body temperature. The common sites for measuring body temperature are the oral cavity, axillary region, temporal artery, and skin surface, such as the forehead, abdomen, and axilla. True core body temperature is assessed in the rectum, tympanic membrane, pulmonary artery, esophagus, and urinary bladder.
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...
Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature01:19

Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature

Hyperthermia occurs when the body's temperature becomes unusually high, often due to heat exposure, intense physical activity, or certain illnesses. This condition can create a dangerous cycle where elevated body temperature increases the metabolic rate, generating more heat and potentially leading to organ failure and brain damage. A severe form of hyperthermia, called heat stroke, can raise body temperature to life-threatening levels. Fever, on the other hand, is a controlled form of...