Preoperative combined with intraoperative skin-surface warming avoids hypothermia caused by general anesthesia and surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of intraoperative skin-surface warming with and without 1 hour of preoperative warming, in preventing intraoperative hypothermia, and postoperative hypothermia, and shivering, and in offering good conditions to early tracheal extubation.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, blind study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital.


METHODS
30 ASA physical status I and II female patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery.


METHODS
Patients received standard general anesthesia. In 10 patients, no special precautions were taken to avoid hypothermia. Ten patients were submitted to preoperative and intraoperative active warming. Ten patients were only warmed intraoperatively.


RESULTS
Temperatures were recorded at 15-minute intervals. The patients who were warmed preoperatively and intraoperatively had core temperatures significantly more elevated than the other patients during the first two hours of anesthesia. All patients warmed intraoperatively were normothermic only at the end of the surgery. The majority of the patients warmed preoperatively and intraoperatively or intraoperatively only were extubated early, and none had shivering. In contrast, five unwarmed patients shivered.


CONCLUSIONS
One hour of preoperative warning combined with intraoperative skin-surface warming, not simply intraoperative warming alone, avoided hypothermia caused by general anesthesia during the first two hours of surgery. Both methods prevented postoperative hypothermia and shivering and offered good conditions for early tracheal extubation.
Vanni
Simone Maria D'Angelo
SM
Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo State, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. anestesi@fmb.unesp.br
Braz
José Reinaldo Cerqueira
JR
Módolo
Norma Sueli Pinheiro
NS
Amorim
Rosa Beatriz
RB
Rodrigues
Geraldo Rolim
GR
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012768:Shivering; D012881:Skin Temperature