Survey Reveals Surgical Patients Enter Theatre Cold; May Be At Increased Risk Of Wound Infection And Longer Hospital Stays, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 29 Jan 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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According to a survey of 129 attendees at the most recent Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) Congress, the vast majority of respondents (83.7 per cent) reported that their hospitals had a problem with surgical patients arriving in the theatre cold. The survey, undertaken by Arizant UK, the Patient Temperature Management Specialists, also found that, of those facilities acknowledging cold patients, more than 30 per cent said this was a common issue that affected over half of their surgical patients.

Of the 72 responses which indicated that at least a quarter of their surgical patients were already cold when entering surgery, only six said they actively prewarmed on a regular (more than 50 per cent of the time) basis.

More than 70 percent of those surveyed said they actively warmed on a regular basis during surgery; however, it should be remembered that it is much harder to re-warm a cold patient than to maintain patient normothermia. While the benefits of active warming during surgery are widely recognised, these results suggest that the same cannot be said of active warming in the pre-operative stage.

Actively warming patients prior to anaesthesia induction is an effective way to help prevent intraoperative hypothermia in many surgical cases. Unintended hypothermia has been associated with adverse outcomes such as an increased rate of wound infection, increased length of hospital stay and higher mortality rates. Fortunately, unintended hypothermia is easily prevented. Active warming methods, such as forced-air warming, can add to the total heat content of the body before surgery to help offset heat lost through anaesthesia-induced heat redistribution.

The survey also revealed that nearly all respondents would welcome a patient warming device that could effectively prewarm and allow their patients to arrive in surgery warmer. Launched at AfPP in Harrogate, the Bair Paws® Patient Adjustable Warming System features a forced-air warming unit that connects to a unique patient warming gown. A handheld controller allows the patient to adjust the temperature of air flowing through the gown during the pre- and post-operative phases. Fully compatible with existing Bair Hugger® temperature management units, clinicians can attach a Bair Hugger warming unit to a separate port in the gown to help prevent and treat unintended hypothermia in the theatre.

With the launch of the Bair Paws system, normothermia can now be maintained throughout the entire surgical cycle. Patients can be warmed in the ward, during surgery and through to recovery, which can help further reduce the burden of surgical site infections.

Association for Perioperative Practice

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