Rewarming cardiac surgery patients: radiant heat versus forced warm air

This study compared time required to rewarm, incidence of shivering, and nurses' preferences in hypothermic postoperative cardiac surgery patients treated with a forced air warmer (Bair Hugger) or a noninfrared radiant heater (Thermal Ceiling). Data were collected on 38 subjects and 6 nonsubjects treated with warm blankets. Average minutes to rewarm were: forced air, 100.3; radiant heat, 99.3; and warm blankets, 188.2. The warm air subjects had significantly higher skin temperatures, lower incidence of shivering, and less severe afterdrop, suggesting that rewarming in these patients resulted from heat gained from the environment. Nurses preferred the forced air warmer to the noninfrared radiant heater.