Accidental peroperative hypothermia during rapid transfusion

Six cases of grave hypothermias are reported, having arisen during surgical interventions which necessitated a rapid and abundant transfusion of badly warmed blood. The role of favouring factors, surrounding cold due to the air-conditioning, anaesthesia, extent of the area of operation, seems important. The symptomatology permits the individualization of a hypothermic syndrom neighbouring the picture described in toxic accidental hypothermias. Accidents during the warming process associate collapse and disturbances in coagulation. It is therefore necessary to consider certain signs of alarm as important and generalize the conditions for prevention of thermolysis in the operating theatre.