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P A T I E N T
W A R M I N G
Ariz. "Just holistically, it's noticeable.
Sessler, MD, professor and chair of the
You can see the furrowed brow soften.
department of outcomes research at
In addition, normothermic patients
the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. "Even
are ready for discharge sooner
mild hypothermia significantly increas-
because a normal or near-normal
es blood loss and increases allogeneic
temp is a criterion that must be met
transfusion requirements," he says.
before they can leave your facility."
"With forced-air warming, the need for
Research has shown that warmed
blood transfusions is reduced," and the
patients report less post-op pain,
body synthesizes anesthesia more effi-
another essential factor in maintaining
ciently.
efficiencies in the PACU. Pain was
cited as the No. 1 cause of prolonged
recovery in Outpatient Surgery
Magazine's recent survey of 190 surgical facility managers. (You guessed it:
3
Fewer surgical site
infections
Wound infections are among
the most common complications of
anesthesia and surgery, says Dr.
PONV was No. 2.)
Anesthesia constricts the blood
Sessler. "Hypothermia can contribute
vessels, which limits blood flow to
to wound infections both by directly
the extremities. That, in turn,
impairing immune function and by
increases shivering and the sensa-
triggering thermoregulatory vasocon-
tion of being cold, even if core body
striction, which in turn decreases
temperatures are well within the
wound oxygen delivery," tripling the
range of normothermia. A patient
risk of wound infection and delaying
who feels cold or thinks he's cold
healing, he explained in a 2008 article
isn't easily convinced to ready him-
"Mild Perioperative Hypothermia"
self for discharge.
(download a copy at
tinyurl.com/khp5ea5). This can negative-
2
Decreased blood loss
ly affect patients' recoveries in PACU
Coagulation is impaired by
and increase unplanned admissions.
hypothermia, says Daniel I.
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