Cooling in patients undergoing major vascular surgery is considerable when no active means are used to limit fall of temperature. Temperatures were measured in twenty-eight patients undergoing major arterial reconstruction and it was found that both central and peripheral temperatures fell. This fall was not limited by the use of a heat retaining colloid mattress but appeared to be inversely related to the ambient temperature of the operating theatre. No relationship could be found between the low body core or skin temperature of these patients and the success of the arterial procedure when this was assessed in the immediate postoperative period
