Objective. To improve patient safety in plastic surgery using individual prediction of the risk of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia; to develop the protocol for ensuring perioperative normothermia.

Material and methods. A retrospective and prospective analysis included 150 patients who underwent plastic surgery. Diagnostic methods implied clinical and laboratory examination, thermometry and laser Doppler flowmetry with simultaneous registration of body temperature.

Results. We have developed a unified system for predicting inadvertent hypothermia in patients undergoing any surgery. This system considers several factors including preliminary warming up of the patient, air temperature in the operating theatre, wrapping and limitation of exposed body surface, temperature of solutions for subcutaneous infiltration and intravenous infusions, heating of the operating table. A protocol for ensuring and maintaining normal body temperature in perioperative period was also developed.

Conclusion. Original scoring system devoted to the risk of inadvertent hypothermia may be valuable to assess potential threats of hypothermia and take necessary measures to prevent this complication. Implementation of this technique in surgical departments will improve qualification and professional level of plastic surgeons, as well as safety and quality of plastic surgeries.

Keywords. patient safety, body temperature, inadvertent perioperative hypothermia, normothermia, patient safety survey, prognosis and prevention of hypothermia, hypothermia risk prognosis scale