Perioperative Hypothermia Hypothermia in Ambulatory Surgery by Self-warming or Forced-air Warming Blanket, a Randomised Controlled Trial

Background:

Anesthesia medicaments given in general anesthesia cause impaired thermoregulation and thermogenesis. After induction of general anesthesia the core temperature is reduced to redistribution of blood from the body core to the cooler skin. Later impaired thermogenesis contributes to further loss of heat.

Mild hypothermia (<36 degrees Celsius) contributes to increased incidence of wound infections, prolonged stay in the post anesthesia care unit, shivering and reduced patient comfort.

There are several effective interventions to prevent hypothermia such as active warming pre-, per- and postoperatively. Preheated intravenous fluids and medical interventions to alter the blood distribution from the periphery to the body core have been effective in preventing hypothermia.

In the department both self-warming blanket (Easywarm®) and forced-air blanket (BairHugger®) are routinely used to prevent hypothermia. It has been observed that a few patients undergoing plastic surgery with anesthesia time more than one hour are shivering and feeling cold in the postoperative period.