Der Chirurg; Zeitschrift für alle Gebiete der operativen Medizen
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To improve perioperative quality and patient safety, the German S3 guideline should be consistently implemented to avoid perioperative hypothermia. Perioperative normothermia is a quality indicator and should be achieved by anesthesiologists and surgeons. To detect hypothermia early during the perioperative process, measuring body temperature should be started 1-2 h preoperatively. ⋯ A standard operating procedure (SOP) to avoid hypothermia should be introduced in every operative unit. The incidence of postoperative hypothermia should be evaluated in operative patients every 3-6 months. The goals should be to measure body temperature in >80% of patients undergoing surgery and for >70% to exhibit a core temperature >36 °C at the end of surgery.