Maintenance of normothermia is critical for the surgical patient. Hypothermia has been shown to impair coagulation and increase the stress response and cardiovascular demands.7 and 31 The longer the surgical procedure, the greater the risk for hypothermia.32 The administration of general anesthesia can also hamper a patient’s homeostatic defenses to cold, resulting in a drop in core temperature by 2 to 4°C.32 Spinal and epidural anesthetics have a less dramatic effect on thermoregulatory responses (1 to 3°C reduction in core temperature).