Convection heating in pediatric general surgery - a comparison of warming alternatives in a mannequin study.
BACKGROUND
Numerous methods of patient warming are used to prevent intraoperative hypothermia in children. Commercially available forced air warming blankets are effective, but are single-use items. We tested a custom-designed heat dissipation unit (HDU) against one such commercially available blanket.


METHODS
Air temperatures at various points around a mannequin under simulated operating conditions were recorded using thermistors and thermal imaging. The only variable changed was the heating method: a forced air blanket or a customized HDU with two draping techniques - cotton drapes with and without a plastic 'undersheet'.


RESULTS
The three methods produced similar temperature increases and plateaux across the 11 thermistor points measured. There were no significant differences between temperatures at 1 h. A plastic sheet did not appear to enhance the effectiveness of the HDU in this study. Thermal imaging photography suggested more uniform heating of the mannequin with the HDU arrangements.


CONCLUSIONS
The custom-built HDU compares favorably in our mannequin study with a Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket. As it is reusable, it offers considerable potential savings.
Nightingale
Scott
S
Department of Paediatrics, John Hunter Hospital, NSW, Australia.
Wynne
Lisa
L
Cassey
John
J
D000768:Anesthesia, General; D035843:Biomedical Research; D001831:Body Temperature; D018481:Convection; D006361:Heating / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000451:nursing*; D008348:Manikins; D009873:Operating Rooms; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative