Ace the Surgical Tech Exam 2025 – Slice Through to Success!

Patients who undergo gastrointestinal procedures are indeed at high risk for hypothermia. This is a significant concern during such surgeries due to several factors. The operating rooms are typically kept at cooler temperatures to maintain a sterile environment, which can lead to a drop in the patient's body temperature. Additionally, exposure of internal organs during surgery, combined with the use of cold intravenous fluids and anesthetics that affect thermoregulation, increases the likelihood of hypothermia.

Hypothermia can lead to various complications, including increased risk of wound infection, prolonged recovery times, and impaired coagulation. Therefore, it is crucial for surgical teams to actively manage patient body temperature through methods such as warming blankets and appropriate monitoring to mitigate this risk.

In contrast, while infection is a risk for all surgical procedures, it is not specific to gastrointestinal procedures. Hyperthermia is less common during surgery given the control of body temperature in the OR. Tachycardia can occur due to various reasons, such as stress or anesthesia effects, but is not directly associated with gastrointestinal surgery in the same way that hypothermia is.