Hypothalamus is the organ responsible for maintaining core body temperature which is normally between 36.7-37.5oC. The core temperature is usually warmer than the peripheral by 0.2 - 4.0oC because of normal thermoregulatory vasoconstriction.1 Under general anesthesia, volatile agent impair thermoregulation centers by suppressing vasoconstriction which leads to normo-thermic blood mixing with colder blood from peripheral resulting in dropping of overall body temperature. Moreover, patients may lose their temperature inside operating rooms due to four factors: Radiation, Evaporation, Convection and Conduction. Radiation: is the loss of temperature as a result of low operating room temperature that is normally kept between 18-20oC and it is accountable for 60% of heat loss; Evaporation, resulting from water evaporation from the skin even if there is no sweat; Convection which occurs when cold antiseptic is used to sterilize the patient; Conduction: happens when the patient's skin is in contact with the OR's cold table.2-3-4-5 All of these factors will drop the body temperature and lead to unintended hypothermia during the surgery. Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) is a recurrent situation during surgical operation which is defined as internal body temperature less than 36oC.6 Some hypothermia’s ramifications that have occurred…show more content… Steven M. frank had found that peri-operative warming in cardiac patients has reduced cardiac complications induced by hypothermia such as ventricular tachycardia16. In addition, a study by Andrea Kurz and others concerning wound infection and hospitalization, found that dropping in core temperature by 2oC increased the incidence of wound infection by three times; however, after peri-operative warming, wound infection rate has been decreased and hospitalization has shortened.
