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Resistive-heating and forced-air warming are comparably effective
Chiharu Negishi1, Kenji Hasegawa, Shihoko Mukai
1Department of *Anesthesia, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan; ‡OUTCOMES RESEARCH™ Institute, Department of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky; and ‡Ludwig Boltzmann Institute, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Anesthesia and Analgesia
|May 23, 2003
Summary
Perioperative hypothermia is a risk, so intraoperative warming is crucial. A novel resistive-heating blanket maintained core body temperature as effectively as forced-air warming during major abdominal surgery.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Surgical Patient Care
- Thermoregulation
Background:
- Perioperative hypothermia poses serious risks to surgical patients.
- Intraoperative warming methods are routinely employed to mitigate these risks.
- Evaluating novel warming technologies is essential for improving patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of a new, non-disposable carbon-fiber resistive-heating system for maintaining core body temperature during surgery.
- To compare the performance of resistive heating against traditional circulating-water mattresses and forced-air systems.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-four patients undergoing open abdominal surgery were randomized into three warming groups: circulating-water mattress, forced-air cover, or carbon-fiber resistive-heating blanket.
- All groups received epidural and general anesthesia, with warmed fluids and a controlled ambient temperature.
- Core (tympanic membrane) temperatures were monitored throughout the approximately 4-hour procedures.
Main Results:
- The resistive-heating group and forced-air group showed significantly less core temperature decrease compared to the circulating-water group.
- At the end of surgery, core temperature decreases were minimal in both the resistive-heating (0.5 +/- 0.4 degrees C) and forced-air (0.6 +/- 1.0 degrees C) groups.
- No significant difference in temperature maintenance was observed between the resistive-heating and forced-air methods.
Conclusions:
- Both forced-air warming and the novel carbon-fiber resistive-heating system are effective in maintaining intraoperative core body temperature.
- These methods significantly outperform circulating-water mattresses in preventing hypothermia during major abdominal surgery.
- Resistive heating offers a viable and effective alternative for intraoperative patient warming.