title: The effect of forced air warming on postoperative oxygen consumption and temperature in elective orthopaedic surgery.
abstract: Actively warming patients during surgery is considered the best method of preventing inadvertent hypothermia. In order to investigate the effect of forced air warming on postoperative oxygen consumption, we studied 26 patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery using a prospective, randomized trial design. We measured oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, temperature, thermal comfort and pain scores. Apart from intraoperative temperature, there were no significant differences in these measurements between the two groups. This study demonstrated the gradual heat gain and also the potential for hyperthermia from pre- and intraoperative forced air warming. We conclude that forced air warming is not necessary for moderate duration non-body-cavity surgery if effective preinduction covering of patients and minimal surgical exposure is achieved.
authors.affiliation: Alfred Hospital Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Melbourne, Victoria.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wongprasartsuk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Konstantatos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McRae
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D011184:Postoperative Period; D017694:Rewarming / Q000379:methods*