Compliance of Health Professionals for Prevention of Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia in Adult Patients: A Review.

Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is defined as a decrease in core body temperature below 36°C (96.8°F) in patients undergoing surgery, starting from one hour before anesthesia induction in the preoperative period, during the intraoperative period, and in the postoperative period in intensive care unit, spanning 24 hours. Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is a preventable complication that occurs during surgery and can occur due to factors, such as open skin and abdominal cavity, general or regional anesthesia, prolonged surgery duration, low ambient temperature, use of cold irrigation or intravenous fluids, and factors related to the patient. Morbid heart problems, delayed wound healing, increased blood loss and blood transfusion, surgical site infection, deterioration in drug metabolism, and prolonged intensive care and hospital stay are some of the complications that may result from hypothermia. There are several international evidence-based practice guidelines for the prevention and control of hypothermia in the perioperative period. Although the guidelines state that hypothermia can be prevented with some simple and cost-effective measures implemented during the perioperative process, the compliance rate with these practices may be poor in clinical practice. In this article, the practices of healthcare professionals in preventing inadvertent perioperative hypothermia will be discussed in line with evidence-based guidelines.