International anesthesiology clinics
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Thermoregulatory responses in infants and children are now fairly well understood. The phenomenon of heat loss in children during surgery is widely acknowledged. Hypothermia is most likely to occur during long surgical procedures in an air-conditioned operating room, particularly when respiration is controlled. ⋯ Perioperative hypothermia results from decreased metabolic heat production, increased environmental heat loss, redistribution of heat within the body, and anesthesia-induced inhibition of thermoregulation. Radiation and convection from the skin surface combine with evaporation from tissues inside surgical incisions to decrease mean body temperature. Perioperative hypothermia can be limited by prewarming the skin surface before induction of anesthesia, warming the operating room, humidifying the airway, and warming intravenous fluids.
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Int Anesthesiol Clin · Jan 1992
Historical ArticleHistory and evolution of pediatric anesthesia equipment.
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Parents of soon-to-be-anesthetized children frequently express concern about their child's safety because they have heard that "anesthesia is the most dangerous part of the operation." Although I don't believe that statement was ever true, it is even less true today. With the development of reliable capnography and volatile agent measurement in infants and children, we have significantly reduced the risks associated with anesthesia. I think we can, and should, confidently reassure parents that the "anesthesia part of the operation" has been made much safer and that the child's breathing (as well as heart beat, temperature, oxygenation, etc.) will be vigilantly monitored by the anesthesiologist using both human senses and the latest in monitoring equipment.