Randomized clinical study comparing active heating methods for prevention of intraoperative hypothermia in gastroenterology.
Regina Maria da Silva Feu Santos, Ilka de Fatima Santana Ferreira Boin, Cristina Aparecida Arivabene Caruy and 3 others
PMID 30698215WHAT IT FOUND
In open gastroenterology surgery, thermal mattress, warmed infusions and forced-air blanket did not differ in preventing intraoperative hypothermia.
All patients developed mild hypothermia despite 15-minute preheating, so no single warming method was better.
Key findings
01The heating methods did not differ in temperature outcomes.
02All patients had mild hypothermia and did not recover their operating-room entrance temperature.
03Esophageal temperature changed over time regardless of heating group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 75 patients were analysed, 25 in each group, after 100 were randomized. Sex was not balanced between groups. All patients received 15 minutes of preheating before the assigned method, so the trial cannot isolate the effect of the assigned warming device alone. The outcome was temperature change, not clinical complications. The study was done at a single university hospital.
Declared interests
The forced-air warming blanket product was supplied by CEI. No other funding or conflict-of-interest disclosure appears in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that forced-air warming blankets are ineffective or that warmed infusions are better. Every patient received 15 minutes of preheating before the assigned method, and room temperature was controlled, so the trial cannot isolate the effect of one device alone.