During surgery, which of the following is typically used to maintain patient body temperature?

Warming blankets are commonly used during surgical procedures to help maintain the patient's body temperature. Hypothermia can be a significant concern during surgery due to factors such as exposure, the effects of anesthesia, and the surgical environment, which often is kept cool for the comfort of the surgical team and the prevention of contamination.

The warming blankets, often heated with warm air or electrically, provide a consistent and controlled source of heat, helping to counteract the loss of body heat. Maintaining normothermia is crucial as it can reduce the risk of complications, such as increased infection rates, longer recovery times, and impaired wound healing.

Other methods or devices exist, such as cooling blankets or ice packs, but they are designed for different purposes, specifically to induce cooling rather than warmth. Hypothermia devices are generally used to induce a controlled state of hypothermia for specific medical conditions or procedures, rather than for routine maintenance of body temperature during surgery. Thus, the use of warming blankets is aligned with the surgical team's goal of ensuring patient safety and optimal physiological conditions.