J Korean Hip Soc.  2009 Jun;21(2):189-192. 10.5371/jkhs.2009.21.2.189.

Hypothermia During Total Hip Arthroplasty with Combined Spinal-epidural Anesthesia

• Kwak IS
• Kim KM
• Chang JD

• KMID: 1465850
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5371/jkhs.2009.21.2.189

Abstract

In operations of the lower extremities in elderly patients, regional anesthesia is preferred over general anesthesia because regional anesthesia is associated with less deep vein thromboses, pulmonary emboli, bleeding, transfusion volume, and can better control post-operative pain. During surgery, a drop in core temperature frequently occurs. In elderly patients, temperature control and compensatory abilities are physiologically impaired. During induction of regional anesthesia, such as spinal anesthesia, elderly patients often do not complain of coldness, despite the decrease in the core temperature. Also, problems associated with hypothermia can easily be overlooked because anesthesiologists are less concerned about measuring the body temperature of patients than they are during induction of general anesthesia. Because perioperative hypothermia can cause various complications, such as infection, bleeding, cardiac injury, and shivering, closer attention is necessary. We report a case of hypothermia that developed during total hip arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.

Keyword

Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia; Hypothermia

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, Conduction
Anesthesia, General
Anesthesia, Spinal
Arthroplasty
Body Temperature
Cold Temperature
Hemorrhage
Hip
Humans
Hypothermia
Lower Extremity
Shivering
Venous Thrombosis