Revista Médica del Hospital General de México (Apr 2024)
Perioperative hypothermia: a systematic review
Abstract
Temperature is a vital sign that is closely regulated by the hypothalamus. Perioperative hypothermia is a common event; as peripheral heat redistribution occurs, thermoregulation is altered by anesthesia and exposure to a cold environment (operating room). Hypothermia is defined as core body temperature below 36°C. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the main risk factors and complications of perioperative hypothermia and, at the same time, find out which warming method is most useful in the perioperative period. Of the 20 articles that were analyzed, 17 of them indicate that the patients present hypothermia in the perioperative period, with a range of mean temperatures ranging from 32.89 to < 36.0°C; three of them mention that the mean temperature ranges ≥ 36.0°C. The mean complications associated with hypothermia are shivering and thermal discomfort. Perioperative temperature is still one of the least commonly monitored vital parameters during anesthesia and surgery. A combined approach through active and passive warming measures is the key to preventing its complications.
