How can perioperative hypothermia be prevented?

• A. Increase room temperature to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and avoid warming fluids.
• B. Delay warming until after surgery.
• C. Rely solely on patient blankets for warming.
• D. Use warming devices, warmed IV fluids, ambient OR temperature control, and minimize exposure.

Answer: (D)

Maintaining normothermia during the perioperative period requires active warming and minimizing heat loss from all sources. Using warming devices such as forced-air blankets or circulating-water garments, along with warmed IV fluids, directly adds heat to the patient and reduces the cooling that happens when fluids are cold. Controlling the ambient operating room temperature helps limit the temperature gradient that drives heat loss, making it easier to keep the patient warm. Minimizing exposed skin and draping appropriately reduces evaporative and radiant heat loss. Together, these strategies address multiple routes of heat loss throughout the procedure, helping prevent perioperative hypothermia and its risks, such as coagulopathy, infection, and shivering.

Raising the room temperature to an extreme level is inefficient and insufficient on its own; warming after surgery allows hypothermia to occur; relying on blankets alone provides only passive warming and may not be enough for longer procedures.