CPAN Thermoregulation and Temperature Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Forced-air warming blankets achieve warming primarily through which mechanism?
- Conduction via heated surface contact
- Convection via warm air flow over skin (Correct answer)
- Radiation from infrared elements
- Evaporation of heated moisture
Correct answer: Convection via warm air flow over skin
Forced-air warming blankets warm the patient through convection, circulating warm air across a large skin surface area.
Question 2: Which temperature monitoring site provides the most accurate reflection of core body temperature in PACU patients?
- Axillary
- Oral
- Pulmonary artery (PA catheter) (Correct answer)
- Temporal artery
Correct answer: Pulmonary artery (PA catheter)
PA catheter temperature directly measures blood in the central circulation and is the gold standard for core temperature, though less practical; esophageal and nasopharyngeal are close alternatives in clinical settings.
Question 3: Which condition is characterized by muscle rigidity, rapidly rising hyperthermia, and autonomic instability following anesthetic exposure?
- Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- Malignant hyperthermia (Correct answer)
- Serotonin syndrome
- Thyroid storm
Correct answer: Malignant hyperthermia
Malignant hyperthermia presents with hypercapnia, muscle rigidity, rapidly rising temperature, and autonomic instability triggered by volatile anesthetics or succinylcholine.
Question 4: Perioperative hypothermia is most directly associated with which post-operative complication?
- Increased wound infection risk (Correct answer)
- Hypertensive crisis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Acute renal failure
Correct answer: Increased wound infection risk
Hypothermia impairs immune function and reduces tissue oxygen delivery, significantly increasing the risk of surgical site infection.
Question 5: At approximately what core temperature does the risk of serious cardiac arrhythmias significantly increase?
- Below 36.0°C (96.8°F)
- Below 34.0°C (93.2°F)
- Below 32.0°C (89.6°F) (Correct answer)
- Below 30.0°C (86.0°F)
Correct answer: Below 32.0°C (89.6°F)
Below 32°C (89.6°F), the risk of ventricular fibrillation and other life-threatening arrhythmias increases substantially.
Question 6: Maintaining the operating room temperature above which level is a standard strategy to reduce intraoperative hypothermia?
- 18°C (64.4°F)
- 20°C (68.0°F)
- 22°C (71.6°F) (Correct answer)
- 24°C (75.2°F)
Correct answer: 22°C (71.6°F)
OR ambient temperature above 22°C (71.6°F) helps minimize radiant heat loss from the patient's skin during surgery.
Question 7: Warm intravenous fluid administration in the PACU primarily prevents which type of heat loss?
- Radiation
- Evaporation
- Convection
- Conduction from cold fluids lowering core temperature (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Conduction from cold fluids lowering core temperature
Administering cold IV fluids directly lowers core temperature via conduction; warming fluids to body temperature prevents this internal heat drain.
CPAN Thermoregulation and Temperature Management 2
Forced-air warming blankets achieve warming primarily through which mechanism?