| Normothermia should be maintained for patients having hip and knee replacement surgery. This can be accomplished via pre-warming patients prior to entering the operating room and maintaining active warming perioperatively. Strategies to maintain patient normothermia include pre-warming, humidification of inhaled gases, and warming IV fluids and irrigation fluids. Room temperature should be at least 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) during patient exposure and prior to active patient warming. Forced air blankets are not recommended as evidence suggests they may increase risk of infection. |
