FDA's Forced Air Letter Seems a Little Forced
The FDA recommends you continue using 3M's forced-arm warmers.
I
t's OK to wheel your
Bair Hugger out of the
storage closet and start
using it again. No, really.
The FDA says so.
You weren't the only one
who got so spooked by those
whispers that the Bair
Hugger Forced Air Warming
Device spread contaminants
and increased infection risk
that you stopped using the warming blanket that you and your patients
love.
You weren't the only one who'd rather let purple-lipped patients shiv-
er and gnash their teeth than subject their surgical wounds to the con-
taminated particles the blown air and waste heat allegedly sent
swirling.
And you weren't the only one who noticed the more than 2,600
patient lawsuits from all 50 states that allege the devices increase the
risk of serious surgical infections.
Apparently a lot of surgical facilities have stopped using forced-air
warming blankets over fear of airborne contamination — certainly
enough that the FDA took notice and issued what amounted to a plea
to start using the product again.
"The FDA recently became aware that some healthcare providers
and patients may be avoiding the use of forced air thermal regulat-
ing systems during surgical procedures due to concerns of a poten-
tial increased risk of surgical site infection (e.g., following joint
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Editor's Page
Dan O'Connor
• OK TO USE The FDA sent healthcare providers a letter last month say-
ing that forced-air warmers are helpful, not harmful, during surgery.