Which action contributes to maintaining normothermia during arthroplasty?

• A. Use warming blankets and warmed fluids
• B. Monitor core temperature and respond to changes
• C. Minimize monitoring of core temperature
• D. Use cold room

Answer: (A)

Active warming to keep body temperature stable during arthroplasty is essential. Warming blankets and warmed IV fluids directly supply heat to the patient, counteracting heat loss from the operating room environment, anesthesia, and exposure of tissues. This preemptive heating helps maintain normothermia throughout the procedure, which is important because hypothermia can increase blood loss, coagulopathy, wound infection risk, and recovery time.

While monitoring core temperature and responding to changes is important, it doesn’t prevent a drop in temperature as effectively as actively warming the patient. Conversely, minimizing monitoring delays awareness of a problem, and using a cold room would promote heat loss and promote hypothermia rather than prevent it.