Busting persistent myths about perioperative hypothermia

Abstract

Perioperative hypothermia occurs when a patient’s core temperature drops below 36°C during their surgical journey. Research spanning more than thirty years highlights the negative effects of hypothermia on clinical outcomes and patient comfort. Perioperative hypothermia prevention is a classic example of an evidence–practice gap. Despite proven prevention methods, as many as half of all surgical patients continue to experience perioperative hypothermia.