title: Evaluation of two warming systems after cardiopulmonary bypass.
abstract: We have compared the Thermomat electric undermattress (JMW Systems, Edinburgh, UK) and the Bair Hugger (Augustine Medical, Courtelary, Switzerland) forced-air warming blanket in 30 adult patients after cardiac surgery. All patients were warmed to an oesophageal temperature of 38 degrees C before termination of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB); those with oesophageal temperatures < 35.5 degrees C at skin closure were allocated randomly to be rewarmed in the intensive care unit either on the Thermomat (n = 15) or under the Bair Hugger blanket (n = 15), at their highest settings. Oesophageal and lateral thigh skin temperatures were recorded every 15 min for 4 h. There was a significantly faster increase in core temperature (0.5 vs 0.75 degrees C h-1; P < 0.0002) and skin temperature (0.86 vs 1.3 degrees C h-1; P < 0.001) in the Bair Hugger group. However, there was no difference in the number of patients who reached a core temperature of 36 degrees C (15 Bair Hugger, 14 Thermomat) or 37 degrees C (11 Bair Hugger, seven Thermomat), or in the number of patients who reached a skin temperature of 37 degrees C in 4 h (four Bair Hugger, one Thermomat). Twelve patients in the Bair Hugger group reached a skin temperature of 36 degrees C compared with two in the Thermomat group (P < 0.001). The Bair Hugger warmed faster than the Thermomat both centrally and peripherally, and warmed more patients to a core temperature of 37 degrees C in 4 h, but did not reduce the time to tracheal extubation or alter important clinical aspects of postoperative course.
authors.affiliation: Shackleton Department of Anaesthetics, Southampton General Hospital.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Janke
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Pilkington
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017694:Rewarming / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013997:Time Factors