Der Anaesthesist
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For a long time the significance of perioperative accidental hypothermia was overlooked. The possible undesirable effects of a relatively small reduction in the body core temperature of 1.5-2.0 degrees C were generally unknown and the treatment options were limited. The unfavourable climatic conditions in the operation room favour heat loss and simultaneously, there is considerable disturbance of temperature regulation through general as well as spinal anaesthesia. ⋯ In addition, the undesirable effects of such a reduction in core temperature were barely known and even only a few years ago there were hardly any possibilities for reliable prevention or effective treatment. Therefore, in this article the causes of perioperative hypothermia will initially be described. In the second section the possible negative consequences of a reduction in body core temperature will be presented and in the last section the resulting consequences for the practice will be discussed.
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In critically ill patients fever is associated with an increased morbidity and mortality rate. However, it remains unclear whether fever is an associated symptom of the underlying severe disease or a stimulator of specific pathophysiological cascades considered responsible for a deleterious outcome. Hyperthermia per se induces systemic changes like increased energy and oxygen demands, tachycardia, or fluid loss which might be harmful especially in septic patients due to congestion of the cardiovascular system. ⋯ At present there are no data showing the superiority of any of the different antipyrectic strategies in septic patients. Hence, external cooling with cold blankets or other devices may induce shivering of the muscles with a substantial increase of oxygen demand and is hardly tolerated in conscious patients. However, antipyretic therapy in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock should be indicated while considering the individual pathophysiology of every patient.
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Mild perioperative hypothermia is a common complication of anesthesia and surgery associated with several adverse effects including impaired wound healing and more frequently leads to wound infections. Perioperative hypothermia affects the hemostasis and various immune functions and therefore interferes with the initial phases of the wound healing process. ⋯ Wound complications prolong hospitalization and substantially increase medical costs. Thus, maintaining normothermia perioperatively is essential to reduce the number of wound complications.
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Despite substantial improvement in the management of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), including early aneurysm occlusion by endovascular techniques and surgical procedures, a significant percentage of patients with SAH still experience serious sequelae of neurological or cognitive deficits as a result of primary hemorrhage and/or secondary brain damage. Available neuromonitoring methods for early recognition of ischemia include, among others, measurement of brain tissue O(2) partial pressure, brain metabolism with microdialysis and monitoring of regional blood flow. ⋯ This review summarizes the major neurological and non-neurological complications following aneurysm occlusion. Possible neuromonitoring techniques to improve diagnosis and therapy for treatment of symptomatic vasospasm as well as extracranial complications are discussed.
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The term "malignant hyperthermia" (MH), regarded as the typical anaesthetic disease, refers to a clinical syndrome of varying intensity (from abortive courses to fulminant crises) and develops only under exposure of certain triggering substances or mechanisms. MH is caused by a defect in the ryanodine receptor subtype 1, which can often be proved genetically. Furthermore, it may also be generated by other mechanisms which disturb the membranous integrity of skeletal muscle cells (e.g. some myotonias, muscular dystrophies, malformation syndromes). ⋯ Due to a current good knowledge about classical triggers, symptoms and therapeutic interventions, a clinical MH presentation may successfully be treated in the perioperative period. However, it appears to be likely that there are unreported cases outside hospitals since atypical courses or alternative MH triggers (e.g. alcohol, drugs, physical stress) may impair the correct diagnosis. In contrast severe hyperthermia can also arise from other drug-induced diseases, e.g. the neuroleptic malignant syndrome or the serotonin syndrome.