Perioperative hypothermia in patients undergoing major colorectal surgery

Abstract

Background: Perioperative hypothermia occurs frequently and can have serious health-related and financial consequences. Despite multiple warming methods available, perioperative hypothermia remains prevalent. To be effective, preventative measures must be timely and target patients most at risk. The aim of this retrospective review was to document the incidence and patterns of hypothermia in patients undergoing major colorectal surgery. Methods: Hospital records were used to obtain demographic and clinical information on 255 patients undergoing major colorectal surgery over one year. Temperatures were recorded from five perioperative time-points and correlated with potential contributing fac..