Survey on Postoperative Hypothermia Incidence In Operating Theatres of Kocaeli University

Perioperative Health Care Professionals' Knowledge of Evidence-Based Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia Management

PURPOSE

To evaluate the perioperative health care professionals' knowledge of evidence-based inadvertent perioperative hypothermia management.

DESIGN

A descriptive, cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The research sample consisted of 219 perioperative nurses and anesthesia technicians working in the university hospital and participating in perioperative care. Data were collected by the researchers using a questionnaire that included descriptive characteristics of health care professionals and inadvertent perioperative hypothermia management between March and April 2021. Descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk normality, Kruskal Wallis, Mann Whitney U, and Spearman correlation test were used to analyze the data.

FINDINGS

In this study, only 29.2% of the health care professionals knew that the threshold value for inadvertent perioperative hypothermia was <36 °C. The mean knowledge score of health care professionals on the management of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia was 13.78 ± 3.47. The knowledge score of 79.5% of health care professionals was moderate level. A significant correlation was determined between inadvertent perioperative hypothermia management knowledge score and education status (P = .032), task (P < .001), and mean years in the profession (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge of the health care professionals working in the perioperative process about evidence-based practices related to inadvertent perioperative hypothermia management was determined to be moderate. We recommend increasing the level of knowledge of health care professionals by providing education on guidelines regarding inadvertent perioperative hypothermia management.

Prevalence of Postoperative Hypothermia in the Post-anesthesia Care Unit

Background

Unwanted postoperative hypothermia is an unpleasant event that can cause various complications.

Objectives

As this serious complication and its provoking causes have not been investigated sufficiently, this study was designed and conducted to determine the prevalence of hypothermia and its associated factors in the post-anesthesia care unit after elective surgery.

Methods

Four hundred patients undergoing elective surgeries were enrolled in the present cross-sectional research after termination of surgery and at the time of arrival at the post-anesthesia care unit of Poursina Public University Hospital. The tympanic membrane temperature was measured and recorded at the time of arrival at the post-anesthesia care unit and every 30 minutes after arrival. The required data were collected in a researcher-made checklist and analyzed after entering the SPSS software version 25.

Results

Considering the 5% error, it can be said that the prevalence of hypothermia in patients undergoing elective surgery ranges from 20 to 28% at the time of arrival at the post-anesthesia care unit and 18.5 to 26% 30 minutes after arrival.

Conclusions

More than a quarter of patients experienced hypothermia following elective surgery. Therefore, appropriate treatment and control measures are necessary to manage this complication, particularly in patients with predisposing risk factors and comorbidities.

Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia in Ambulatory Surgery Patients: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Prevention Initiatives

PURPOSE

Although the number and complexity of ambulatory surgical interventions has grown considerably over the years, it has not been fully established whether hypothermia still poses a risk for these interventions. In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors, and methods applied to prevent perioperative hypothermia in ambulatory surgery patients.

DESIGN

A descriptive research design was used.

METHODS

The study was conducted with 175 patients between May 2021 and March 2022 in the outpatient units of a training and research hospital in Mersin, Turkey. Data were collected using the Patient Information and Follow-up Form.

FINDINGS

The incidence of perioperative hypothermia was 20% in ambulatory surgery patients. Hypothermia developed in 13.7% of the patients at the 0th minute at the PACU, and 96.6% of the patients were not warmed intraoperatively. We noted a statistically significant relationship between perioperative hypothermia and advanced age (≥60 years), high American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) class, and low hematocrit values. In addition, we determined that the female gender, presence of chronic diseases, general anesthesia, and a long operation time were other risk factors for hypothermia in the perioperative period.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of hypothermia during ambulatory surgeries is lower than that in inpatient surgeries. The warming rate of ambulatory surgery patients, which is quite low, can be improved by increasing the awareness of the perioperative team and following the guidelines.

Effect of Prewarming on Postoperative Hypothermia, Vital Signs, and Thermal Comfort: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to determine the effects of preoperative active and passive warming on postoperative hypothermia, vital signs, and perception of thermal comfort in patients scheduled to undergo elective open abdominal surgery. This was a randomized controlled study. The study sample comprised 90 patients (30 in the active warming group, 30 in the passive warming group, and 30 in the control group) who agreed to participate and met the research criteria. According to the comparison of patients' vital signs, a statistically significant difference was observed in terms of patients' preoperative body temperature values (χ² = 56.959; p = 0.000). A comparison of the patients' postoperative thermal comfort perception scores yielded a statistically significant difference (χ² = 39.693; p = 0.000). Postoperative comfort scores in the active warming group were significantly higher than those in the passive warming and control groups. In conclusion, warming methods are effective in preventing undesirable postoperative hypothermia. The time to reach normothermia after surgery was shorter, vital signs were at a desirable level, and thermal comfort perceptions were higher in patients who were prewarmed. ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04997694).

The Effect of Sevoflurane Low-Flow Anesthesia on Preserving Patient Core Temperature

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Low-flow anesthesia (LFA) reduces the fresh gas flow (FGF) entering the anesthesia circuit and saves on the volatile agent used. In this study, the effect of LFA with sevoflurane on core temperature and the incidence of perioperative hypothermia were investigated. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> According to the FGF applied, patients were classified into three groups: LFA (1 L/min), medium-flow anesthesia (MFA = 2 L/min), and high-flow anesthesia (HFA = 4 L/min). Patients’ demographic data and the initial (T1) and final (T2) core temperatures during the operation were compared. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 160 patients were included in the study. The T2 value of the HFA group was significantly lower than the LFA group (<i>p</i> = 0.028). Different flow values were found to have a significant effect on temperature change (<i>F</i> = 21.630, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.216). There was a significant difference between the mean temperatures measured at two different times (<i>F</i> = 301.064, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.657). The overall incidence of hypothermia was 32.5%, with 52 patients. Hypothermia (<i>T</i>²&#x3c;36°C) incidences were not different between the LFA group and the MFA and HFA groups (<i>p</i> = 0.682). However, perioperative core temperature loss was significantly lower in the LFA group (<i>p</i> = 0.001). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> LFA using sevoflurane was not sufficient alone to significantly reduce the incidence of hypothermia. However, we have demonstrated that it may also have a beneficial effect on reducing perioperative temperature loss.

Perioperative hypothermia in open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery

BACKGROUND

The consequences of even mild inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) are significant. There is a perception laparoscopic abdominal surgery is less prone to cause hypothermia than open surgery. However, during laparoscopic surgery, the peritoneal cavity is insufflated with carbon dioxide, which has a greater evaporative capacity than ambient air. This study compared the intra-operative temperature profile of patients undergoing open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery to define the incidence and severity of hypothermia.

METHODS

All adult patients undergoing colorectal surgery between May 2005 and August 2013 were identified from an electronic database. Cases were categorized into laparoscopic and open cases. Hypothermic episodes were defined as a temperature less than 36°C lasting for more than two consecutive minutes. The incidence of hypothermic episodes, the total time under 36°C and the area under the curve (degree-minutes) were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 1547 cases were analysed. The overall incidence of hypothermia was 67.0%. The incidence of cases with a hypothermic episode was greater in the laparoscopic group compared to the open group (71.23% versus 63.16%; chi-squared P-value 0.001). However, when other factors were considered, there was no significant difference in the relative risk of a hypothermic episode between types of surgery. There were significant differences in the severity of hypothermia.

CONCLUSION

Despite current measures to reduce the incidence, IPH remains a significant problem in colorectal surgery irrespective of the surgical approach. Further research is required to better characterize techniques that can reduce its incidence.

Intraoperative hypothermia in patients undergoing Total knee arthroplasty: a cross-sectional study from a developing country

Background

Intraoperative hypothermia is associated with various risk factors, morbidity, and mortality in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), increasing the emotional and financial burden on patients. This study aimed to identify risk factors of intraoperative hypothermia in patients undergoing TKA.

Materials and methods

All adult patients (⩾18 years) who underwent TKA from January 2016 to December 2017 at a tertiary-care hospital in Pakistan were included in this retrospective, cross-sectional study. Temperature < 36 °C was defined as hypothermia.

Results

The study included 286 patients (77.6% female) with a mean age of 61.4 ± 10.4 years. The overall proportion of intraoperative hypothermia was 26.6%. Of the total patients, 66.1% underwent bilateral TKA whereas 33.9% underwent unilateral TKA. 73.8% of the patients were ASA Level 2. Only 13.3% of patients had postoperative hypothermia.

Conclusion

Intraoperative hypothermia was significantly associated with age, bilateral procedure, ASA level and postoperative hypothermia in patients undergoing TKA. The surgeon and the operative team should be aware of the risk factors and the adverse outcomes associated with intraoperative hypothermia, especially in resource constrained settings to plan preventive strategies.

Trial registration

This study was retrospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on 3rd October 2020. The registration ID is NCT04575246.

The related factors and countermeasures of hypothermia in patients during the anesthesia recovery period

OBJECTIVE

This research aims to explore and analyze the risk factors that lead to hypothermia in patients in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and to investigate the heat preservation effects of the various heat preservation measures.

METHODS

A total of 224 patients who entered the PACU from February 2018 to October 2018 after anesthesia surgery in our hospital were recruited as the research cohort. Among them, 46 had hypothermia and 178 did not. The patients' general and surgical data were recorded, and the risk factors for hypothermia in the PACU patients were analyzed using logistic regression. Another 68 hypothermia patients admitted to the PACU in our hospital were also recruited for this study. The patients in the routine group (RG) were insulated using quilts, while those in the observation group (OG) were insulated using inflatable warming blankets. The heat preservation effects of the two heat preservation methods on the PACU patients were compared.

RESULTS

Age >60 years old, an intraoperative infusion volume >1500 ml, an intraoperative blood loss >300 ml, major surgery, and an operation time >2 h were the risk factors for hypothermia in the PACU patients. The heat preservation times, the PACU retention times, and the patients' awake times in the OG were shorter than they were in the RG, and the incidence of complications related to hypothermia in the OG was lower than it was in the RG. In addition, the degree of satisfaction in the OG was higher than it was in the RG.

CONCLUSION

Age >60 years old, an intraoperative infusion volume >1500 ml, an intraoperative blood loss >300 ml, major surgery, and an operation time >2 h are risk factors for hypothermia in PACU patients. Inflatable warming blankets have a better heat preservation effect and bring higher patient satisfaction than traditional quilts.

Comparison of Body Temperature, Normothermia, and Extubation Times of Patients Heated with Forced Air Warming Method Based on Whether Patients Underwent On-Pump or Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

AIM

This study aimed to compare the body temperature, normothermia, and extubation times of patients heated with forced air warming method based on whether they underwent on-pump or off-pump coronary artery bypass graft.

METHOD

This quasi-experimental study comprised 109 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft operation in the cardiovascular surgery department of a university hospital and a private hospital in Afyonkarahisar. Patients were divided into the following two groups: group 1 comprised 65 patients who underwent on-pump coronary artery bypass graft and group 2 comprised 44 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass graft. All patients included in the study were heated with forced air warming method. Preoperative and postoperative data were collected using the Patient Identification Form and the Patient Tracking Form, consisting of 16 items in total. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 18.0 software.

RESULTS

Even though the preoperative body temperature, postoperative first body temperature, second hour body temperature, and extubation time did not exhibit a significant difference depending on the operating method, a significant difference was observed regarding the first, third, fourth, and fifth hour body temperatures and time to reach normothermia based on the operating method (p<0.05). Notably, the off-pump group's body temperatures in the first, third, fourth, and fifth hours were higher compared with the on-pump group. Furthermore, the off-pump group reached normothermia (145.22±72.54 minutes) earlier or faster compared with the on-pump group (206.84±89.30 minutes). The body temperatures, extubation times, and normothermia were not observed to exhibit significant differences based on the gender (p>0.05). A statistically significant relation was not observed between the patient's body temperature and their age (p>0.05). However, a low but positive and significant (p<0.05) correlation was observed between the extubation times (r=0.197) and age, as well as time to reach normothermia (r=0.237) and age.

CONCLUSION

This study concluded that forced air warming method is an effective technique to minimize the time to regain normothermia among patients who underwent the on- and off-pump coronary artery bypass graft.

Management of Shivering in Post-Spinal Anesthesia Using Warming Blankets and Warm Fluid Therapy

Hypothermia is a common and serious complication of spinal surgery and it is associated with many harmful perioperative outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of warming blankets and warm fluid therapy to manage shivering. A quasi-experiment with a non-equivalent control group was applied as the research design. There were 60 patients involved in the study. The instrument of this study was a warmer fluid modification, a warming blanket and a cotton blanket. The data was analyzed using an applied paired t-test and independent t-test. After 60 minutes of the intervention, the mean and SD of body temperature of the patients receiving warm fluids was 36.71 ± 0.18, a warming blanket was 36.12 ± 0.35, and the control group was 35.76 ± 0.22. The p values were 0,000. Warm fluid therapy and warming blankets are significant in terms of increasing the body temperature of post-spinal anesthesia patients. Warm fluids are more effective than warming blanket. Warming blankets and warm fluid therapy can be used as a way to increase the body temperature of patients with hypothermia.

Perioperative inadvertent hypothermia among urology patients who underwent transurethral resection with either TURis or transurethral resection of the prostate method

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to investigate the incidence of perioperative hypothermia in urology patients undergoing transurethral resection with either TURis or transurethral resection of the prostate method and to recognize the risk factors that were responsible for the occurrence of hypothermia intraoperatively in these patients.

METHODS

It was a randomized prospective study. A total of 168 patients, according to American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-III, were scheduled for transurethral resection either with TURis or transurethral resection of the prostate method. We measured the core body temperature before (preoperative), during (perioperative) and after (postoperative) the surgery. Age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, duration of surgery, preoperative prostatic volume, and vital signs were also recorded.

RESULTS

The prevalence of inadvertent hypothermia was 64.1% for the TURis group and 60% for the transurethral resection of the prostate group. Hypothermic patients in TURis group were significantly older (87.7 ± 1.7 vs 68 ± 6.7 years, p < 0.05) and had lower body mass index (26.9 ± 3.6 vs 29.2 ± 2.7, p < 0.05), while hypothermic patients in the transurethral resection of the prostate group were significantly older (86 ± 1.1 vs 70 ± 7.4 years, p < 0.05) and had notably higher duration of surgery (140.6 ± 28.9 vs 120.3 ± 14.3 min, p < 0.05) than normothermic patients.

CONCLUSION

Perioperative inadvertent hypothermia among urology patients who underwent transurethral resection with both TURis and transurethral resection of the prostate method is of high incidence. We recommend monitoring of the temperature of core body of all these patients, especially those with advanced age and lower body mass index.

Investigation of inadvertent hypothermia incidence and risk factors

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to determine the incidence of inadvertent hypothermia in operative patients and the risk factors that are involved in the development of hypothermia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2016to August 2016 with 144 patients who over the age of 18 years, underwent general surgery, orthopedic surgery, urologic surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. Data was collected with the "Hypothermia Data Collection Form." Body temperature was measured by the tympanic membrane in the waiting room, operating room, and PACU.

RESULTS

Overall, 89% of the patients (n=129) were normothermic in the preoperative phase; 74.30% of the patients (n=107) in intraoperative phase and 75.70% of the patients (n=109) in postoperative phase were hypothermic. American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) score, preoperative body temperature, operating room temperature, and using heating method at operation were found to be effective in the development of inadvertent hypothermia during the operating period. It was determined that premedication, preoperative and postoperative body temperature, and the operating room temperature were effective for inadvertent hypothermia in the postoperative period.

CONCLUSION

As a result of the study, it was determined the rate of inadvertent hypothermia was high during and after surgery. Preoperative and intraoperative patient body temperature and operating room temperature were found to be effective in preventing inadvertent hypothermia.

Approach to Perioperative Hypothermia by Anaesthesiology and Reanimation Specialist in Turkey: A Survey Investigation

OBJECTIVE

The aim is to investigate the attitudes of anaesthesiologists working in Turkey on perioperative temperature monitoring.

METHODS

The questionnaire comprised 25 questions. Data were obtained through the completion of the questionnaire by hand or via the web.

RESULTS

Two hundred and four questionnaires were evaluated. Most physicians were working in government hospitals. We determined that 26% of physicians often use temperature monitoring and that physicians who works in university hospitals are significantly more common monitor the body temperature. There are different approachs on core temperature. The skin/axilla was the most preferred monitoring site; forced-air warming devices were the most common preferred heating systems. New-borns were the most commonly monitored group, and the Turkish Anaesthesiology and Reanimation Society guideline was the most commonly used reference. Physicians working in university or private hospitals were significantly more able to adjust the operating room temperature on demand.

CONCLUSION

There are different applications to prevent perioperative hypothermia. Although physicians are aware of the effects of anaesthesia on hypothermia and the contribution of hypothermia to complications, this awareness was not enough for them to make temperature monitoring a routine practice. To make temperature monitoring a standard practice, we believe that more studies should be conducted and that this issue needs to be more frequently addressed in congresses, anaesthesia conferences and particularly in residency training clinics.