title: Infection control hazards associated with the use of forced-air warming in operating theatres.
abstract: A review is presented of the published experimental and clinical research into the infection control hazards of using forced air-warming (FAW) in operating theatres to prevent inadvertent hypothermia. This evidence has been reviewed with emphasis on the use of ultra-clean ventilation, any interaction it has with different types of patient warming (and FAW in particular), and any related increased risk of surgical site infection (SSI). We conclude that FAW does contaminate ultra-clean air ventilation; however, there appears to be no definite link to an increased risk of SSI based on current research. Nevertheless, whereas this remains unproven, we recommend that surgeons should at least consider alternative patient-warming systems in areas where contamination of the operative field may be critical. Although this is not a systematic review of acceptable randomized controlled clinical trials, which do not exist, it does identify that there is a need for definitive research in this field.
authors.affiliation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Ashington, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Ashington, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.affiliation: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.affiliation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Ashington, UK.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: Huddersfield University, Huddersfield, UK. Electronic address: profdavidleaper@doctors.org.uk.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Leaper
mesh_terms: D004780:Environment, Controlled; D006361:Heating / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000517:prevention & control; D017053:Infection Control; D009873:Operating Rooms; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014691:Ventilation / Q000379:methods
keywords: Forced-air warming; Perioperative hypothermia; Surgical site infection