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Preventing inadvertent perioperative hypothermia
Alexander Torossian1, Anselm Bräuer, Jan Höcker
1Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, UKGM Giessen and Marburg, Marburg, Center for Anesthesiology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Department of Anaesthesia and Surgical Critical Care, Asklepios Clinic St. Georg, Hamburg, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Regio Kliniken Pinneberg.
Preventing inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is crucial for surgical patients. Active warming before and during surgery, along with monitoring core body temperature, significantly improves patient outcomes and reduces complications.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Perioperative Medicine
- Surgical Patient Care
Background:
- Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia affects 25-90% of elective surgery patients, leading to increased risks of wound infections, cardiac complications, and blood transfusions.
- Hypothermia causes patient discomfort and increases oxygen consumption due to shivering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide evidence-based guidelines for the prevention and management of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia.
- To reduce the incidence of postoperative hypothermia and its associated adverse effects.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of literature up to August 2014.
- Recommendations developed through a structured consensus process by representatives of five medical specialty societies.
Main Results:
- Measure core body temperature 1-2 hours pre-anesthesia and continuously or every 15 minutes during surgery using appropriate sites (oral, esophageal, etc.).
- Actively prewarm patients for 20-30 minutes before surgery and maintain intraoperative warming for procedures longer than 30-60 minutes.
- Maintain operating room temperature at ≥21°C for adults and ≥24°C for children; warm infusions/blood >500 mL/h; insulate body surface; ensure normothermia at emergence; treat hypothermia with heat and shivering with medication.
Conclusions:
- Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia negatively impacts surgical outcomes and postoperative recovery.
- Active prevention of perioperative hypothermia is essential for optimizing patient care.
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