Consequences of perioperative hypothermia

Perioperative hypothermia is common, with an incidence ranging between 20 and 70%, and is defined by a body core temperature below 36.0°C. Perioperative warming was rare during the previous century, but was subsequently identified as a significant contributor to perioperative morbidity and mortality. Perioperative hypothermia causes impaired pharmacodynamics, surgical site infections, blood loss and coagulopathy, transfusion requirements, thermal discomfort, prolonged recovery, and prolonged duration of hospitalization. Measurement of central core temperature, maintaining normothermia, and consequent warming of patients in the perioperative period are therefore essential. Several warming devices are commercially available, including active skin warming as the most efficient, inexpensive, easy-to-use and mostly having a good cost/benefit ratio for the majority of patients and surgeries.