You are providing general anaesthesia to a
47-year-old patient having an open hemicolectomy. You have been infusing all fluids through a fluid warmer but notice that the patient’s temperature has dropped to 35
°C. The patient will be losing MOST heat by which one of the following processes?
a) Conduction into the patient’s general surroundings
b) Convection with the room air
c) Radiation to the patient’s general surroundings
d) Evaporation from wound and skin
e) Respiratory losses from conduction, convection
and evaporation
