Perioperative hypothermia in pediatric patients: diagnosis, prevention and management

  • Sukhminder Jit Singh Bajwa Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Gian Sagar Medical College & Hospital, Ram Nagar, Banur, Punjab (India).
  • Swati MD Assistant Professor, Govt Medical College and Hospital, Sector-32, Chandigarh, India
Keywords: Perioperative, Hypothermia, Thermoregulation, Thermogenesis

Abstract

Hpothermia is the most common perioperative disturbance in pediatric patients. Pediatric patients are highly vulnerable to hypothermia and its associated complications, e.g. respiratory embarrassment, metabolic acidosis, hypoglycemia, hypoxemia, cardiac disturbances, coagulopathy, and a higher incidence of wound infection etc. This higher vulnerability is mainly due to increased heat loss from larger head size, thin skin, lack of subcutaneous pad of fat and limited ability of compensatory thermogenesis from brown fat. As such it is mandatory to design appropriate diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic strategies which can effectively protect pediatric population from the potential catastrophic complications associated with hypothermia during perioperative period. The current review aims to refresh the basic mechanism of hypothermia and discussion of evidence based management strategies to minimize the incidence of hypothermia in pediatric patients.

Citation: Bajwa SJS and Swati. Peri-operative Hypothermia in pediatric patients: diagnosis, prevention and management. Anaesth Pain & Intensive Care 2014;18(1):97-100

Published
07-02-2019
How to Cite
Bajwa, S. J. S., & MD, S. (2019). Perioperative hypothermia in pediatric patients: diagnosis, prevention and management. Anaesthesia, Pain & Intensive Care, 97-100. https://doi.org/10.35975/apic.v0i0.554
Section
Special Articles