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Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia Prevention Strategies for Urology
Surgical Patients Who Received a Blood Transfusion: A Retrospective Analysis
T. Page 1
Adelaide Nursing School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
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Background: A snap shot audit conducted in September 2020 revealed that patients undergoing
urology surgery accounted for the majority of red cell transfusions during the six-month period
between August 2019-January 2020. The Blood Management Committee noted this cohort of patients
are vulnerable to developing hypothermia during surgery. Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia
is a significant problem globally and is associated with a number of known risk factors and many
detrimental side effects including an increased risk of bleeding.
Objective: The aim of the research was to establish whether hypothermia was present in patients who
required a blood transfusion and underwent a urology procedure; in line with staff knowledge and
understanding.
Oral Presentation Abstracts
Methods: A survey to establish staff understanding of thermoregulation in caring for patients during
their perioperative journey and any associated guidelines and barriers to providing active warming
strategies was conducted as well as a retrospective review of 46 case notes identified through the
Monthly Blood Products usage report between January 2021 and July 2022.
Results: Staff (70%) were unaware of guidelines informing thermoregulation practices, however, 90%
understood the importance of normothermia in the perioperative environment. The Medical record
review demonstrated temperature monitoring and intervention implementation varied across the
perioperative journey with 20% of patients hypothermic on admission and 89% of the cohort having
two or more risk factors.
Conclusion: There was no formal process for the management of Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia
throughout the patient journey at the Hospital. A variety of intrinsic factors (age, patient comorbidities ASA
score) and external factors (patient waiting times, anaesthetic modality, type of procedure, environmental
influences), impact each patients risk of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia.
Efforts to maintain intraoperative body core temperature higher than 36°C including updating
procedures, educating staff and posters highlighting the importance of staying warm in patient areas
aim to improve the quality and safety of anaesthesia care for patients.
Keywords: bleeding, Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia, temperature, thermoregulation, urology surgery
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Correspondence: Tamara Page, Adelaide Nursing School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
E-mail: tamara.page@adelaide.edu.au
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