SUZANNE CALLANDER reports on a simple, singleuse patient warming solution that can help maintain normothermia in a range of settings.
The benefits of maintaining normothermia preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively include a reduction in postoperative wound infection and a reduction in the risk of perioperative coagulopathy and myocardial ischaemia.
Looking more closely at the effects of preoperative warming on the incidence of wound infection after clean surgery, a randomised controlled trial undertaken by Melling et al,1 found that warming patients before clean surgery aided the prevention of postoperative wound infection.
Active warming of critically ill trauma patients while en-route to hospital can also help improve patient outcomes, according to Scheck et al.2 Hypothermia in trauma victims is a frequently observed phenomenon in acute care and it can result in a variety of complications including impaired wound healing, cardiac complications, haemodynamic instability, impaired immune function and increased blood loss.
Log in or register FREE to read the rest
This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text.
If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.
