Forced-air warming and fluid warming minimize core hypothermia during abdominal surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of intraoperative combined forced-air warming and fluid warming system on patient's core temperature, blood loss, transfusion demand, extubation time, and incidence of postoperative shivering.


METHODS
Forty patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II, aged 18-70 years, scheduled for elective abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive intraoperative warming from a forced-air blanket and fluid warming system or conventional cotton blanket, 20 in each group. The core temperature was recorded every 20 minutes during the operation, as well as the blood loss, blood transfusion, extubation time, and incidence of postoperative shivering.


RESULTS
The core temperature at the end of the surgery in the warming group was significantly different from that in the control group (36.4 +/- 0.4 degrees C vs. 35.3 +/- 0.5 degrees C, P < 0.001). Application of intraoperative warming significantly shortened the time between the end of the surgery and extubation (P < 0.01). Postoperative shivering occurred in 30% of the patients in the control group compared to no patient in the warming group (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Active warming with air-forced blanket and fluid warming system provides sufficient heat to prevent hypothermia during abdominal surgery.
Zhao
Jing
J
Department of Anesthesiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730. zhaojing@hotmail.com
Luo
Ai-lun
AL
Xu
Li
L
Huang
Yu-guang
YG
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017694:Rewarming / Q000379:methods*; D012768:Shivering / Q000502:physiology