Association Between Intraoperative Hypothermia and Postoperative Complications in Elective Surgery at National Hospital Abuja

Intraoperative hypothermia, defined as core body temperature below 36 degrees Celsius, increases the risk of coagulopathy, SSI, cardiac events, and prolonged anaesthetic recovery. Its prevalence and impact on surgical outcomes in Nigerian hospitals have not been empirically studied. This prospective cohort study examines the association between intraoperative hypothermia and postoperative complications in elective surgical patients at National Hospital Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, North Central Nigeria, from 2021 to 2023. Two hundred and twenty patients undergoing elective surgery exceeding 60 minutes under general anaesthesia were enrolled. Core temperature was monitored using nasopharyngeal probes at 15-minute intervals. Hypothermia prevalence and association with SSI, prolonged anaesthetic recovery, coagulopathy, and hospital stay were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Intraoperative hypothermia occurred in 48% of patients, predominantly in procedures lasting more than 120 minutes. Hypothermic patients had a 2.7-fold higher risk of SSI (p=0.002), 2.1-fold higher risk of prolonged recovery, and significantly longer hospital stays. Active warming (forced-air warming blankets) was used in only 22% of cases. The study recommends mandatory intraoperative temperature monitoring for all surgeries exceeding 60 minutes, procurement of active warming devices, and standardized normothermia protocols at National Hospital Abuja and comparable facilities in the FCT. Keywords: intraoperative hypothermia, normothermia, SSI, postoperative complications, Abuja