Comparing Forced-Air to Resistive-Polymer Warming for Perioperative Temperature Management: A Retrospective Study

J Perianesth Nurs. 2020 Apr;35(2):178-184. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2019.08.013. Epub 2019 Dec 16.

Abstract

Purpose: Compare perioperative temperature management between forced-air warming (FAW) and resistive-polymer heating blankets (RHBs).

Design: A retrospective, quasi-experimental study.

Methods: Retrospective data analysis of nonspine orthopedic cases (N = 426) over a one-year period including FAW (n = 119) and RHBs (n = 307).

Findings: FAW was associated with a significantly higher final intraoperative temperature (P = .001, d = 0.46) than the RHB. The incidence of hypothermia was not found to be significantly different at the end (P = .102) or anytime throughout surgery (P = .270). Of all patients who started hypothermic, the FAW group had a lower incidence of hypothermia at the end of surgery (P = .023).

Conclusions: FAW was associated with higher final temperatures and a greater number of normothermic patients than RHBs. However, no causal relationship between a warming device and hypothermia incidence should be assumed.

Keywords: anesthesia; forced-air warming; inadvertent perioperative hypothermia; resistive-polymer heating blankets; thermoregulation.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Air Conditioning / instrumentation*
  • Air Conditioning / methods
  • Air Conditioning / statistics & numerical data
  • Body Temperature Regulation / physiology
  • Female
  • Heating / instrumentation*
  • Heating / standards
  • Heating / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Hypothermia / prevention & control*
  • Hypothermia / therapy
  • Intraoperative Complications / prevention & control
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Perioperative Period
  • Polymers / administration & dosage
  • Polymers / therapeutic use
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

Substances

  • Polymers