Browsing by Author "Carvalho, Isaura"
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- Development of a perioperative thermal insulation system: Testing comfort properties for different textile setsPublication . Carvalho, Isaura; Carvalho, Miguel; Fontes, Liliana; Martins, Teresa; Abelha, Fernandohe poorly physical and psychological conditions of the patients make the body thermal protection crucial in the perioperative context, due to the risk of hypothermia. The lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of textile coverings in protecting patients in the operating room, underscores the recommendation of the forced warming system using non-woven fabric for ensuring the best thermal protection in the perioperative context. This study is part of a development process of a three-layered thermal insulation system, a blanket for use in the perioperative context. After previous selection of two fabrics for the mid and outer layers, in this study three fabric samples for the inner layer with same soft tactile sensation and different textile compositions were tested to find its effect on increasing the thermal insulation of the whole set, using a thermal manikin. The serial method was used to calculate the thermal insulation properties of the sets. The best thermal insulation and thermal comfort performance was obtained by the set using an inner layer composed of polypropylene, polyamide, and elastane whose results were the highest thermal conductivity and thickness and the lowest maximum stationary heat flow density. The results indicated that this fabric influenced positively the values of the whole set once increased its thermal protection effectiveness when compared to the other tested sets. This set is more suitable for future testing in patients during their stay in the perioperative setting.
- Effectiveness of a new thermal insulation blanket in the control of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and comfort: a randomized controlled trialPublication . Carvalho, Isaura; Carvalho, Miguel; Abelha, Fernando; Martins, TeresaBackground Disturbances in the thermoregulatory system can precipitate inadvertent hypothermia in patients undergoing surgeries lasting over 60 min, causing serious complications in the recovery process. Cutaneous thermal protection is relevant for the control of temperature of patients in the perioperative setting. The standard thermal protection widely utilized is an electric forced warm air blanket. This study compared a new layered textile blanket with the standard protection. The hypothesis posited that the textile blanket could provide cutaneous thermal protection comparable to that of the standard protection (forced-air warming blanket), in terms of temperature variation and safety. Methods This randomized controlled trial was conducted at a Portuguese orthopedic hospital from October 2018 to January 2019, comprising 124 adult patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty. Participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group, receiving the textile blanket, or to the control group, receiving standard measures. Tympanic temperature, shivering, and thermal comfort perception were evaluated at six time points. Comfort dimensions and ergonomic aspects were also assessed. Parametric statistics were performed, and independent samples t-tests and repeated measures were used to compare temperature variations and thermal comfort. Results No statistically significant differences were found between groups in mean temperature variation, visual perception of thermal comfort, and thermal and perioperative comfort scales. The intervention group (n = 65) scored significantly higher in ergonomic evaluations compared to the control group (n = 59) for: fit to body and general comfort (p = 0.004), touch (p = 0.005), and feeling of comfort with the inner layer texture and shape (p < 0.001). Conclusion The tested blanket had a comparable performance to the standard protection, suggesting it as a potential sustainable alternative to the recommended measures for thermal protection. However, further investigations across diverse contexts and populations are needed to validate these findings.