MANAGEMENT OF CRISES DURING ANESTHESIA AND SURGERY. PART XVII: HYPOTHERMIA AND MALIGNANT HYPERPYREXIA

Low body temperature can affect the body in many ways such as; O2 dissociation curve shift to the left, acid base balance alteration, cardiovascular system changes, central nervous system will be affected by low cardiac output, metabolism also changed as there will be reduced functions of the liver and kidneys that’s why glucose and drugs in minimal doses should be given, electrolyte changes expressed in high serum potassium may affect the cold sensitive heart, as well as there is alters of non-depolarizing agents effect1. Normally, the human body can initiate mechanisms to maintain or generate heat but anesthesia disturbs these homeostatic mechanisms. Along with, exposure to the cold procedural situation and vasodilation induced by general or regional anesthesia contribute to intraoperative hypothermia development2