Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Hypothermia during anaesthesia is a well-known phenomenon that may cause several side-effects such as greater risk of postoperative wound infection and increased risk of heart complications. The most efficient way to avoid this is to prevent hypothermia from occurring. The aim of this paper was to compile the research on the most efficient way to prevent hypothermia during anaesthesia for cats and dogs, and to compare these results to how Swedish animal hospitals prevent hypothermia today. To investigate this, a survey was sent out to several animal hospitals around Sweden to see what methods they used to prevent hypothermia in their clinics.

It is difficult if not impossible to prevent the body temperature from falling slightly when anaesthesia is induced because of the drug interactions in the body that follow from the drugs given. A 1-1,5°C decrease in body temperature is to be expected and is difficult to avoid. It is important to try to prevent further drop in temperature during the operation.

The method that is most efficient in preventing hypothermia is active warming, i.e. which is when energy is added to warm the patient. An example of this is the use of forced-air warming blankets. The method is most effective when the patient is covered up as much as possible with the warming equipment.

The use of different warming equipment together has been proven efficient as well as wrapping in the patients’ extremities with warming devices. Pre-warming and keeping a higher room temperature has also proven to be good methods for preventing hypothermia.

The survey showed that the Swedish animal hospitals that participated in the present survey all used some kind of active warming, and they often combined different warming equipment. They also mixed active and passive warming equipment, passive being a method where no other energy is applied than what the animal produces itself. A regular blanket is a kind of passive warming method. Several of the hospitals also used some kind of passive warming equipment to cover up the extremities of the animal.