oxygen supply and demand, potentially leading to ischemia and
myocardial infarction. Maintenance of normothermia throughout sur-
gery has the potential of decreasing cardiac morbidity by 55%.
Ventricular fibrillation and arrhythmias tend to occur with more sig-
nificant hypothermia in most patients. It is important to remain vigi-
lant with patients who have pre-existing myocardial disease or car-
diac dysrhythmias, however, as smaller degrees of hypothermia may
induce serious changes in rhythm.
9. Adverse affects of hypothermia on the surgical wound include __________ .
a. decreased tissue acidosis
b. decreased infection rates
c. decreased wound dehiscence
d. decreased neutrophil function
a. Wound problems are one of the most common serious complica-
tions of anesthesia and surgery. Hypothermia contributes in multiple
ways to wound complications. Mild hypothermia directly suppresses
the function of the immune system, making the patient more vulnera-
ble to wound infection. Additionally, hypothermia will cause cuta-
neous vasoconstriction, which can regionally decrease blood flow to
the surgical site, decreasing oxygen tissue delivery and increasing tis-
sue acidosis. This can cause delayed healing or wound dehiscence
even in the absence of infection.
10. Post-anesthetic shivering __________ .
a. occurs in 50% of patients
b. is directly correlated with myocardial ischemia
c. can improve wound healing by increasing blood flow
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