Effect of preoperative warming during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia.
BACKGROUND
Postoperative hypothermia and shivering is a frequent event in patients during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. We assessed the effect of preoperative warming during cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia for prevention of hypothermia and shivering.


METHODS
Forty five patients undergoing elective cesarean section were randomly assigned to three groups. Group F received warmed intravenous fluid (40℃). Group A patients were actively warmed by forced air-warming. Group C was the control group. Forced air-warming and warmed fluid was maintained for the 15 min preceding spinal anesthesia. Core temperature (tympanic membrane) and the skin temperature of arm and thigh were measured and shivering was graded simultaneously.


RESULTS
The core temperature at 45 min decreased less in Groups F and A than Group C (-0.5℃ ± 0.3℃ vs -0.6℃ ± 0.4℃ vs -0.9℃ ± 0.4℃, respectively; P = 0.004). The arm temperature at 15 min and 30 min exhibited a greater increase in Group A than Group F and Group C (P = 0.001 and P = 0.012, respectively). Leg temperature increased similarly among the three groups. The incidence of shivering was significantly less in Group A and Group F than Group C (20%, 13.3%, and 53.3%, respectively; P = 0.035).


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative forced air-warming and warmed fluid prevents hypothermia and shivering in patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia.
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, CHA Gumi Medical Center, CHA University, Gumi, Korea.
Sung Hee
SH
Chung
Byung-Sang
BS
Lee
Hyeon Jeong
HJ
Yang
Kyoung Seok
KS
Kweon
Huyn-Hea
HH
Kim
Jieun
J
Song
Dong Wook
DW
Shin