Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Perioperative Medicine
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Maintaining normothermia (core body temperature > 36°C) is vital for patient safety and recovery, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
• Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) is multifactorial, stemming from preoperative exposure, low operating room temperatures, and lack of warming devices.
• Anesthesia blunts the body's natural response to cold, increasing susceptibility to hypothermia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of temperature regulation in the perioperative period.
• To discuss the causes and consequences of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH).
• To emphasize strategies for preventing IPH.

Main Methods:

• Review of factors contributing to IPH.
• Discussion of physiological responses to hypothermia.
• Analysis of complications associated with hypothermia.

Main Results:

• IPH is caused by various factors including environmental conditions, patient exposure, and anesthetic agents.
• Hypothermia in the postoperative period is linked to increased surgical site infections, mortality, and prolonged hospital stays.
• Proactive identification of risk factors and implementation of warming strategies are key to prevention.

Conclusions:

• Effective temperature management during surgery is essential for minimizing patient morbidity and mortality.
• Preventing inadvertent perioperative hypothermia requires a comprehensive approach addressing preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors.
• Monitoring patient temperature and utilizing warming devices are critical interventions.