PREWARMING FOR PREVENTION OF PERIOPERATIVE HYPOTHERMIA IN PATIENTS WITH
COMBINED EPIDURAL AND GENERAL ANESTHESIA: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to access the influence of active
warming after epidural anesthesia (EDA) and before general anesthesia in
prevention of perioperative hypothermia. METHOD This randomized
controlled trial was conducted in the department of anesthesiology in
university medical center of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam from December
2019 until April 2020. This trial included 60 adult patients who were
scheduled for major abdominal surgery with a duration of at least 120
minutes and under combined general anesthesia and EDA. Patients were
excluded if age was below 18 years, American Society Anesthesiologists’
physical status classification of IV or higher, or refusal of EDA.
Written informed consent was obtained for all patients. Patients were
divided randomly into two groups. The first group received 10 minutes of
active air-forced warming after EDA before the induction of general
anesthesia. The second group was covered with a blanket 10 minutes after
EDA and before general anesthesia. Core temperatures were recorded
throughout the study. The primary outcome measures were the incidence of
perioperative hypothermia and the degree of hypothermia. The secondary
outcome measures were rate and time for body temperature to return to
normal and incidence of postoperative body shivering. RESULTS Without
active warming (n = 21), 70% of patients became hypothermic
(<36°C) postoperatively. Active air-forced warming for 10
minutes after EDA and before induction of general anesthesia decreased
the incidence of postoperative hypothermia to 26.7% (n = 8). CONCLUSION
Active air-forced warming for 10 minutes after EDA and before induction
of general anesthesia is efficient in reducing the incidence of
perioperative hypothermia.