title: The Information Age and Hot Air.
abstract: Forced-air warmers have been used for over twenty years to help prevent and treat inadvertent perioperative hypothermia. One result of hypothermia can be an increased risk of surgical site infection. Paradoxically, the question has been raised about the role of forced-air warmers in causing surgical site infections. A manufacturer of a competing device has been sending information directly to clinicians with warnings about using forced-air warmers with patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. Three reviews have been published and none of these condemned the use of forced-air warmers in the operating room including with patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. Clinicians must continue to seek information about this problem from peer-reviewed journals and not rely on interpretation by others such as manufacturers.
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Austin
mesh_terms: D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement; D006361:Heating / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009873:Operating Rooms; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*