Keeping them Warm' - A randomised controlled trial of two passive perioperative warming methods

A prospective randomised controlled trial to determine if thermal insulation with reflective blankets is more effective than cotton blankets in reducing the temperature gradient from the body's periphery to the core during the preoperative phase in adult patients undergoing short surgery and thus reducing the intraoperative drop in core temperature.

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12614000931673

Enrollment

328

Registered

2014-08-29

Start date

2013-02-12

Completion date

2013-07-04

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) is a common problem for patients undergoing surgery. Heat redistribution from the body’s core to the periphery after induction of anaesthesia is the major contributor to heat loss. Both cotton and reflective blankets are currently in routine use in operating theatres for perioperative warming of patients undergoing short procedures. This study aims to determine if thermal insulation with reflective blankets is more effective than cotton blankets in reducing the temperature gradient from the body’s periphery to the core during the preoperative phase in adult patients undergoing short surgery and thus in reducing the intraoperative drop in core temperature.

Interventions

Patients are randomised into two groups: 1. the reflective blanket group will receive a reflective blanket (MEDIflex, desposable emergency blanket, 140x210cm) close to the skin and one cotton sheet on top to contain the light weight reflective blanket. 2. patients allocated to the cotton will receive a cotton sheet to the skin and a cotton blanket on top of the sheet. In both groups the blankets will be tucked around the patient, leaving only the head and at times their arms exposed, for the pr

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Prevention

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Caregiver, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

- adult patients 18 years and over who undergo elective surgery where the estimated time of surgery is less tha one hour; - American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification 3 and under; - general anaesthesia or combined general/regional

Exclusion criteria

- ASA 4 and over; - surgery predicted longer than one hour; - predicted local/regional anaesthesia or sedation; - patients who do not consent for their data to be collected to be used for research purposes; - patients whose surgery will be cancelled or postponed; - when nurses are not able to consent patients due to workload - surgery to the head, nose and throat

Outcome results