You have just transferred a 1 week-old, 2.5 kg intubated male from the NICU
to the main operating room suite for repair of tracheoesophageal fistula. What is
best intervention to prevent excessive heat loss as the child is being prepared for
surgery?
a) Administer heated IV fluids
b) Use low-flow anesthesia and a heat-exchange device in line with the breathing
circuit
c) Increase ambient room temperature
d) Place a convective warming blanket under the patient
Click for Answer
Answer
Answer c. Intraoperatively, the redistribution of blood from the core to the
periphery and the dysregulation of the interthreshold range cause a significant
decrease in body temperature. The most efficient means (of the available
choices) of preventing or limiting this decrease is by increasing the ambient
temperature, thereby decreasing radiant and convective heat loss.
Notes
- This question originally printed in the Pediatric Anesthesiology Review Topics kindle book series, and appears courtesy of Naerthwyn Press, LLC.
Keywords
<Prev Question --- Next Question>
About Test Your Knowledge