Hypothermia is a common problem in patients undergoing a damage control operation and it is associated with serious complications. A number of interventions are available to prevent or reverse hypothermia.
The core body temperature should be monitored during and after surgery.
Intervention
Comment
Increase operating room temperature > 85°C.
This can be very uncomfortable for a person in full surgical garb. The sweating may be associated with increased risk of nosocomial infections.
Warm crystalloid solutions and blood using a blood warmer.
Avoid rapid infusion of unwarmed blood. Overheating blood can result in hemolysis.
Cover body areas (head, extremities) outside of the operative field, preferrably using an active warming device.
Do not overheat and burn the skin.
Use warming blanket post-operatively.
Do not overheat and burn the skin.
Irrigate nasogastric and thoracostomy tubes with warm sterile saline.
Do not overheat the sterile saline.
Irrigate body cavities (pleural, peritoneal, pericardial) with warm sterile saline.
Do not overheat the sterile saline.
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