Core Body Temperature Changes During Surgery and Nursing Management

Abstract

The fact that surgical procedures and anaesthesia implementation affect thermoregulation, decrease heat production and increase heat loss cause hypothermia in the individual. This situation may create serious physiological problems both during and after the operation especially in risky patients. Surgical operation is a process threatening that body temperature of individual are maintained within required ranges due to the environment it is performed and requiring anesthesia application. Both general and local anesthesia’s suppress afferent and efferent control of thermoregulation. Additionally, surgery environment and exposure to surgical operation generally cause heat loss. Heat loss is a common during surgery. This is because the surgical environment transfers heat from the patient. Anesthesia decreases both heat production and thermoregulation capabilities of patients. Anesthesia also hardens the monitorization of body temperature. Hypothermia may cause complications such as fever, trembling, coldness and paleness in the skin, absent-mindedness, slowing in the metabolic speed, slowing in mental functions, bradycardia and rhythm disturbances, respiration slowing, coma and death. It is important for nurses to appreciate the physiological effects of hypothermia, which can cause complications in surgical patients in these settings. Furthermore accurate and careful monitoring of haemodynamic parameters. In this process the nurse may help maintain the individual’s body temperature by taking protective precautions through various methods before, during and after the operation and especially may protect the patient from various complications that may occur as a result of hypothermia.