A surgical towel useful for preventing unintentional hypothermia induced by a prolonged surgical procedure. The towel includes a body heat retaining layer portion of thermally insulative flexible material, and a soft absorbent covering layer portion which is adhered to the outside major surfaces of the heat retaining layer portion. The covering and the heat retaining layer portions together are capable of being wrapped or draped about an exposed organ to prevent loss of body heat through the organ while surgery is in progress.