Smiths Medical, a leading global medical device manufacturer, has recently launched Level 1® - a new convective patient warmer. The Level 1® convective warmer is designed to prevent and treat hypothermia when temperature therapy is clinically indicated. The warmer can also be used to provide thermal comfort when conditions exist that may cause patients to become too warm or too cold.
According to clinical research, putting patients and healthcare providers at ease by maintaining patient body temperature – before, during and after a procedure – can help to improve outcomes.1–5
The Level 1® convective warmer is designed to help hospitals increase efficiencies, reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. The new system stands apart by delivering three core benefits to healthcare professionals and patients:
- Quiet: Noisy environments contribute to communication errors.6 The Level 1® convective warmer emits less than 42 decibels, which is significantly quieter than other convective warmers.
- Simple: With no calibration required, the intuitive design allows caregivers to focus on the patient while maintaining normal body temperature. With the push of a button, caregivers can choose from four temperature settings.
- Safe: The Level 1® convective warmer provides precise, hose-end temperature management within one degree Celsius. A safety circuit provides an independent means of shutoff, while over-temperature alerts at each setting help keep patients safe and comfortable.
As an operating theatre is a noisy environment, Smith Medical was keen to develop a convective warmer that was quiet when in use. Minimising the amount of background noise in an operating theatre helps reduce patient stress and helps alleviate the risk of clinician communication issues.
The Level 1® convective warmer has three outlet temperature settings, 37°C, 40°C and 43°C, providing flexibility when treating patients. These three temperature settings are controlled by thermistors placed at the end of the hose where the hose connects to the convective warming blanket. A fourth temperature setting delivers ambient-temperature air.
The Level 1® convective warmer is supported by a broad selection of Snuggle Warm® patient warming blankets, accessories and service contracts.
For more information on the Level 1® convective warmer contact Cliff Pool, NordUK Vital Care Marketing Manager at Smiths Medical, on 01233 722 351, email cliff.pool@smiths-medical.com or visit www.smiths-medical.com
References:
- Hannan, E. L., Samadashvili, Z., Wechsler, A., Jordan, D., Lahey, S. J., Culliford, A. T., … Smith, C. R. (2010). The relationship between perioperative temperature and adverse outcomes after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 139(6), 1568-1575.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.11.057
- Horn, E., Bein, B., Böhm, R., Steinfath, M., Sahili, N., & Höcker, J. (2012). The effect of short time periods of pre-operative warming in the prevention of peri-operative hypothermia. Anaesthesia, 67(6), 612-617. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2012.07073.x
- Madrid, E., Urrútia, G., Roqué i Figuls, M., Pardo-Hernandez, H., Campos, J. M., Paniagua, P., … Alonso-Coello, P. (2016). Active body surface warming systems for preventing complications caused by inadvertent perioperative hypothermia in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd009016.pub2
- Moola, S., & Lockwood, C. (2011). Effectiveness of strategies for the management and/or prevention of hypothermia within the adult perioperative environment. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 9(4), 337-345. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1609.2011.00227.x
- Wetz, A. J., Perl, T., Brandes, I. F., Harden, M., Bauer, M., & Bräuer, A. (2016). Unexpectedly high incidence of hypothermia before induction of anesthesia in elective surgical patients. Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, 34, 282-289. doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2016.03.065
- AORN Position Statement on Managing Distractions and Noise During Perioperative Patient Care
