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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Background 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.
Description
Keywords
Hypothermia Perioperative care Thermal insulation Temperature Randomized controlled trial
Citation
Carvalho, I., Carvalho, M., Abelha, F., & Martins, T. (2024). Effectiveness of a new thermal insulation blanket in the control of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and comfort: a randomized controlled trial. BMC anesthesiology, 24(1), 455. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12871-024-02830-0
Publisher
BMC