Warum Operationssäle kühl gehalten werden: Infektionskontrolle, Patientensicherheit und Mitarbeiterkomfort

Operating rooms are maintained at 68–72°F (20–22°C) for three evidence-based reasons:

• Infection prevention – Cooler temperatures slow bacterial and viral replication; open surgical wounds are highly susceptible to contamination.
• Patient thermoregulation – General anesthesia impairs thermoregulation and can cause malignant hyperthermia or intraoperative hyperthermia; a cool environment mitigates this risk.
• Surgical team performance – Gowned, gloved, and under intense lights for hours, staff maintain focus and fine motor control better in a cool environment. Overheating increases fatigue and error rates.

Active warming devices (forced-air blankets, warmed IV fluids, humidified gases) are used on the patient to prevent perioperative hypothermia while the room stays cool. This balance—cool room, warm patient—is the standard of care.