The "Ice" Adventure in the Operating Room: Hypothermia and Life Safety

Author: Zheng Yan, Liaoning Cancer Hospital

Reviewer: Li Yanxi, deputy chief physician, Liaoning Provincial Cancer Hospital

Everyone who has had surgery has one experience: the operating room is too cold!

Many patients can't help but ask the nurse for help as soon as they enter the operating room, "Nurse, it's so cold in the operating room!" "Nurse, please cover me with a blanket!" "I'm so cold, aren't you cold too?"

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In fact, the 2024 edition of the "Operating Room Nursing Practice Guidelines" stipulates that the temperature in the operating room should be maintained at 21-25 degrees Celsius and the relative humidity should be maintained at 30%-60%. This is a relatively comfortable environment.

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Why do many patients feel cold when entering the operating room?

——Before surgery, you are required to fast and drink no water, which results in insufficient energy supply to the body

——The elderly, infants and young children have relatively poor thermoregulation ability and are easily affected by the external environment

——The patient's surgical area is disinfected before surgery. The evaporation of the disinfectant will take away some of the body's heat

——The use of certain anesthetic drugs may affect the body temperature regulation center

——The operating room environment is mostly dominated by cool blue and green colors. Cool colors can affect people's psychological perception, making people feel cool or even cold.

So, can the temperature in the operating room be raised? The answer is: No!

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The temperature in the operating room cannot be raised at will. Why is that?

——Constant temperature can effectively inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria

The temperature in the operating room cannot be too low to prevent patients from having hypothermia during surgery, and the humidity cannot be too high because the higher the humidity, the faster the bacteria in the air multiply. A constant temperature environment can inhibit the reproduction of pathogens and better protect patients.

——Constant temperature can effectively prevent infection

During the operation, multiple layers of sterile sheets will be placed on the patient. If the temperature in the operating room is too high, the patient will sweat profusely, increasing the risk of infection at the incision site.

——Constant temperature can keep doctors clear-headed

During surgery, doctors need to wear at least one layer of scrubs, one layer of surgical gown, a surgical cap and a medical mask, wrapping themselves tightly. If the operating room temperature is too high, people will become drowsy and unable to concentrate. A constant temperature environment can allow doctors to keep their minds sharp and calm down to complete the operation.

The temperature in the operating room cannot be raised and the patient is very afraid of cold. What should we do?

Don't be afraid, I have a solution!

——Preoperative visit to eliminate fear

The day before the operation, medical staff will usually conduct a preoperative visit to explain the basic situation of the operating room and play relevant video clips such as an introduction to the operating room, allowing patients to follow the camera and learn about the preparations before the operation.

——Special cloak and quilt to reduce exposure

When the patient enters the operating room and is sent back to the ward after the operation, medical staff will prepare special extended capes and exclusive quilts to keep the patient warm and reduce exposure.

——Liquid heating box

To reduce the irritation of the fluid to the patient's body, the fluid used for intravenous infusion and body cavity flushing during surgery is usually heated to 37°C.

——Inflatable heating blanket

The nurse will place a warming blanket on the operating bed. After the operation begins, the warming blanket will be connected to the air blower, which will deliver heated air to the patient's entire body through a hose to achieve the purpose of keeping warm.

——Infusion warmer

To prevent the fluid from being too cold during infusion, a warmer will be used to control the temperature of the fluid infused during surgery. All infused fluids will be heated to maximize patient comfort during the infusion.

- If the patient has chills, an anesthesiologist will be there to protect you, and you can choose drugs such as dexamethasone and tramadol to prevent or relieve symptoms.

How about it? After listening to the above introduction, do you feel much warmer? Patients and friends, please believe that the medical staff will do their best to provide you with a comfortable surgical environment and ensure the smooth progress of the operation!