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Monday, November 2, 2009: 2:40 PM
Learning Objective 1: understand the postoperative hypothermia is common but problematic issue in postoperative patients.
Learning Objective 2: base on our study to recognize the radiant heater is more effective rewarming device than warmed cotton blanket.
BACKGROUND: Postoperative hypothermia is commonly encountered in the post-anesthesic patients. Effective warming devices may accelerate rewarming process, suppresses shivering thermogenesis, improve patient comfort, and decrease adverse events for patients with cardiovascular disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of two warming methods, warmed cotton blankets versus radiant heaters, for postoperative hypothermic patients after spinal surgery at recovery room. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was performed at a medial referral center in Taiwan 36 °C was recorded. Independent-samples t test was used to examine the time usage for rewarming to 36°C and the survival analysis was used to compare which of the warming methods was more efficient. RESULTS: The patients’ demographics between study groups were the same in terms of age, gender, amount of blood loss, length of operation, tympanic temperature prior to initiating operation and arrival at recovery room. In terms of the time needed for rewarming to 36 °C , the radiant heater group showed statistically significant shorter than those with warmed cotton blankets (43.5 vs. 76.8 min, p=0.022). The results also showed that the radiant heater group has a more efficient temperature rising than those with warmed cotton blankets (log rank test, p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Our results prove that radiant heater is a more effective method than warmed cotton blanket with regard to rewarming postoperative hypothermic patients after spinal surgery at recovery room.