Rewarming hypothermic postanesthesia patients: a comparison between a water coil warming blanket and a forced-air warming blanket

Abstract

The warming effects of a Blanketrol water coil-heated hypothermia blanket and a Bair Hugger forced-warm air warming blanket were compared. Thirty-two patients admitted to the PACU with temperatures 34.4 degrees C (94 degrees F) or lower were assigned to treatment with the Blanketrol (Cincinnati Sub-Zero Products, Cincinnati, OH) or the Bair Hugger (Augustine Medical, Eden Prairie, MN) in alternating fashion, and treatment continued until the patients' temperatures reached 36.1 degrees C (97 degrees F). Every half hour each patient's temperature was measured using a tympanic temperature device and recorded on the data collection sheet. Analysis of the findings showed that the forced-air warming blanket warmed patients to 36.1 degrees C (97 degrees F) or higher significantly faster than the water coil-heated blanket (P < .001).