Which strategy is used to prevent hypothermia during surgery?

• A. Passive warming measures only
• B. Warming in the post-op unit only
• C. Forced-air warming, pre-warming, warmed IV fluids, ambient room temperature control
• D. Cooling measures to maintain normothermia

Answer: (C)

Maintaining normal body temperature during surgery relies on actively warming the patient through multiple simultaneous strategies, not just relying on blankets after the fact. Starting pre-operatively with warming raises peripheral tissues before anesthesia-induced vasodilation kicks in, reducing the redistribution of heat from core to the periphery once anesthesia begins. During the operation, active warming with forced-air devices continuously supplies heat to the patient’s surface, helping to offset heat loss through radiation, convection, and evaporation. Warming intravenous fluids prevents cooling that would occur as cold fluids enter the circulation and lower core temperature. Controlling the ambient room temperature diminishes environmental heat loss from the patient. Taken together, these measures address multiple pathways of heat loss and preserve normothermia throughout the perioperative period, which is more effective than relying on any single approach.