Preventing hypothermia and maintaining a patient’s core body temperature throughout the perioperative period is a vital but often underestimated aspect of surgical care. Perioperative hypothermia—defined as a drop in core body temperature below 36°C—can lead to a range of complications that impact both short-term recovery and long-term outcomes.
Studies show that incidence rates vary widely, from 4% to over 70%, depending on surgery type, anaesthetic technique, and patient factors (MDPI, 2021). This highlights the need for consistent strategies to keep patients warm throughout their surgical journey—from preoperative preparation through to recovery.
Why perioperative hypothermia matters
Even mild hypothermia can have serious effects. It impairs coagulation, increasing the risk of bleeding and the need for transfusions. It weakens immune function, raising the chance of post-operative infections, and slows drug metabolism, delaying the effects of anaesthesia wearing off and prolonging recovery.
In more severe cases, hypothermia can contribute to cardiovascular events, including arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia, particularly in vulnerable patients (PubMed, 2018).
What makes perioperative warming a challenge
Preventing hypothermia across the perioperative timeline requires managing a range of environmental, procedural, and patient-specific factors.
A key issue is the inconsistent use of pre-warming. Many patients arrive in theatre already cold, making it more difficult to maintain normothermia once anaesthesia begins.
During transfer, patients may be exposed to cool environments along hospital corridors or waiting areas, leading to additional heat loss—especially without effective insulation.
In the operating theatre, maintaining normothermia is further complicated. Rooms are typically kept at lower temperatures for the surgical team’s comfort, while general anaesthesia impairs thermoregulation, causing core-to-peripheral heat redistribution. Open procedures and prolonged tissue exposure exacerbate this effect, particularly during lengthy surgeries.
The postoperative period is just as critical. Anaesthesia’s effects linger, and recovery areas are often cool. Hypothermia after surgery is linked to delayed drug metabolism, slower recovery, discomfort, and increased risks of infection and cardiac complications. Continued use of passive (e.g. insulated blankets) or active warming (e.g. forced-air systems) is often necessary until patients are fully alert and normothermic.
Effective perioperative warming strategies
Preventing hypothermia is significantly more effective than treating it after onset. A successful warming strategy starts before surgery and continues through the intraoperative and postoperative stages.
Pre-warming patients with passive or active systems can reduce the initial temperature drop after anaesthesia. During surgery, forced-air warming systems, warmed IV fluids, and conductive heating mattresses help minimise heat loss.
In recovery, both passive and active warming can support temperature maintenance until the patient’s thermoregulation returns. Continuous temperature monitoring is essential, allowing teams to make timely adjustments to prevent hypothermia.
Conclusion
Perioperative warming is not just a matter of comfort—it’s a critical safety measure that reduces complications, speeds recovery, and improves outcomes. By adopting consistent, whole-journey warming protocols, healthcare teams can help ensure every patient remains normothermic from admission to discharge.
The role of THERMARMOUR in perioperative warming
Maintaining patient temperature and preventing hypothermia throughout the surgical process is essential to improving patient outcomes.
THERMARMOUR’s innovative passive warming solutions support effective thermal regulation, reducing the risks associated with hypothermia. Our products help healthcare professionals create a safer surgical environment by offering a simple solution to proactively warm patients throughout from the ward through to the recovery room.
Read clinical evidence for THERMARMOUR or learn more about our Medical products.
Categories: Medical
Tags: hypothermia, medical, perioperative hypothermia, surgery
