title: Pre-emptive use of the space blanket reduces shivering after general anaesthesia.
abstract: We have investigated the role of aluminized metal foil (space blanket, UN 320), used pre-emptively, in post-anaesthetic shivering and patients' subjective perception of cold after general anaesthesia of short duration. Sixty-eight ASA I and II patients undergoing orthopaedic and plastic surgery on the peripheries were allocated randomly to two groups: those in group 1 were wrapped (not less than 60% of body surface area) in the space blanket before induction of anaesthesia. In group 2 patients had standard surgical draping. In all subjects, anaesthesia was induced with fentanyl and propofol, and maintained with nitrous oxide and enflurane in oxygen, after a laryngeal mask airway was positioned. Patients were asked to grade their perception of cold on a visual analogue scale, before induction and on recovery. Skin (dorsum of hand) and core (nasopharyngeal) temperatures were recorded at 15-min intervals. Occurrence of shivering and cold scores were recorded by blinded observers. Groups were similar in age and gender; duration of anaesthesia was also similar (mean 41.6 (SEM 4.8) vs 47.5 (3.3) min, respectively). The incidences of shivering were 15% and 63% in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.001). Cold scores were 2.4 (0.4) and 5.7 (0.5), respectively (P < 0.001). Skin temperatures increased with increasing duration of anaesthesia in both groups but were greater at 15, 30 and 45 min in group 1 (33.38 (0.25) vs 31.56 (0.31), 34.46 (0.25) vs 32.45 (0.31) and 35.22 (0.36) vs 33.13 (0.34), respectively; P < 0.001 each comparison). Core temperature increased slightly in group 1 and decreased in group 2 (P = 0.11).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buggy
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000535:Aluminum; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001512:Bedding and Linens; D001831:Body Temperature; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D012768:Shivering
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum