[Thermoregulatory research in the field of anesthesia and intensive care: a review].
Most general anesthetics, opioids, sedatives and local anesthetics perturb thermoregulatory responses. Accordingly the core temperatures triggering sweating, thermoregulatory vasoconstriction and shivering are varied in perioperative periods. Redistribution hypothermia is a quite common phenomenon during not only general anesthesia but epidural/spinal anesthesia. Maintenance of core temperature after redistribution hypothermia is achieved by the effective vasoconstriction which prevents heat loss from the skin surface. Deliberate mild hypothermia is effective for brain protection during neurosurgery and ischemic episode. However, obtaining effective decrease of core temperature is sometimes difficult because of thermoregulatory vasoconstriction. Subsequently, vasodilation therapy with appropriate drugs is now under investigation. Hypothermia per se causes critical complications in patients, and the maintenance and warming method to maintain normothermia is important in perioperative period.
Ozaki
M
M
Department of Anesthesiology, Tokyo Women's Medical College.
D000758:Anesthesia; D001831:Body Temperature; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013821:Thermometers; D014661:Vasoconstriction