Preventing Hypothermia - FF Article

Question 1

Why is hypothermia a common complication during feline anesthesia?

Answer 1

Hypothermia occurs because anesthesia reduces the body’s ability to maintain a normal temperature, especially in cats with a large surface area-to-body mass ratio.

Question 2

What are some risk factors for hypothermia in cats under anesthesia?

Answer 2

• Large surface area to body mass ratio
• Poor physical condition (less fat and muscle)
• Paediatric, geriatric, or very sick patients
• Open wounds or surgeries exposing body cavities (e.g., exploratory laparotomy).

Question 3

What are the consequences of hypothermia during anesthesia?

Answer 3

Hypothermia can cause bradycardia, arrhythmias, hypotension, reduced cardiac output, respiratory depression, altered drug metabolism, delayed recovery, and increased risk of infection and coagulation issues.

Question 4

How can hypothermia be prevented pre-anaesthesia?

Answer 4

Pre-warming the patient with heat pads or blankets, maintaining an ambient temperature of around 24°C, and monitoring temperature can prevent hypothermia before anesthesia.

Question 5

What are some peri-anaesthetic methods to prevent hypothermia?

Answer 5

• Use heat pads, warming tables, or forced warm air blankets
• Warm surgical prep liquids
• Use bubble wrap or blankets to insulate
• Warm lavage fluids
• Use heat and moisture exchangers (HME) to warm inspired gases.

Question 6

Why is an oesophageal temperature probe preferred over a rectal probe during anesthesia?

Answer 6

Oesophageal probes provide more accurate core body temperature readings than rectal probes and allow constant monitoring to detect temperature drops early.

Question 7

What should be done post-anaesthesia to prevent hypothermia?

Answer 7

• Maintain a warm environment
• Actively warm the patient if body temperature is below 37.5°C
• Dry damp patients
• Monitor closely, as 50% of anaesthetic-related deaths occur post-operatively.

Question 8

What is a precaution for patients shivering after anesthesia?

Answer 8

Provide oxygen supplementation, as shivering increases oxygen demand by 300-400%.

Question 9

What techniques can be used to rescue hypothermic patients during surgery?

Answer 9

Hypothermic patients may receive warmed intravenous fluids and abdominal lavage with fluid at 38°C to restore body temperature.