Ten Minutes of Pre-warming: A Good Way to Avoid Hypothermia?

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is a common complication which is associated with poor outcomes. Its prevalence ranges from 50% to 90%and its incidence is up to 70%. Pre-warming patients before anesthesia induction has been used and recommended as a preventive measure. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a defined protocol whose main action is pre-warming with forced-air warming blanket starting 10 minutes before anesthesia induction, in minimizing perioperative hypothermia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective, analytical, non-controlled study. A perioperative warming defined protocol was applied to patients undergoing abdominal surgery of expected duration between 45-240 minutes with general anesthesia. Protocol included: 10 minutes pre-warming at intermediate temperature (38ºC) and maintenance during the procedure, warmed intravenous fluids and half-closed or closed system. Core temperature with an esophageal probe was recorded just before the end of anesthesia – final core temperature. Hypothermia was defined as a  final core temperature less than 36.0ºC. Statistical analysis with SPSS Statistics.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Were included 33 patients. Mean temperature was 36.3 ± 0.59ºC. Twenty seven patients (81.8%) had normothermia, 5 (15.2%) had mild hypothermia and 1 (3%) had moderate hypothermia. There was no statistically significant difference in  final core temperature in laparoscopic procedures (p = 0.378).

CONCLUSION: In this study, a perioperative warming defined protocol which included active pre-warming with a forced-air warmer achieves a very low incidence of hypothermia at the end of surgery.