Effect of "An Innovative Technology" Active Warming and Passive Warming on Unplanned Hypothermia During Perioperative...

Patients are at risk for unplanned hypothermia during the perioperative period due to many reasons, including anesthesia, low room temperature, cold intravenous fluid, and blood transfusion. This study was conducted to examine the effect of active and passive warming methods applied in patients during the perioperative period on unplanned hypothermia. This study is a case-control type study. The population of this study is composed of the patients hospitalized in surgical clinic and undergone abdominal region-related operations. Ninety patients were accidentally included in the study. The first group of patients were actively warmed during the perioperative period (carbon fiber resistive system - W-500D + 190 × 50 cm), the second group was passively warmed at least for 20 minutes during preoperative period (with blanket, socks etc.), and the third group was followed up as the control group. It was established that body temperature average of the active warming group has significantly increased during perioperative period (p < 0.001), and this temperature was significantly higher than the other groups until the third hour. It was found that the body temperature average of all groups was equal to 36.2 ± 0.26, 35.4 ± 0.49, and 35.2 ± 0.47, respectively, at the end of operation, and the difference among them was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001). The active warming method applied with carbon fiber resistive system during the perioperative period is an effective method.