Thermal suit connected to a forced‐air warming unit for preventing intraoperative hypothermia: A randomised controlled trial.

Background: Inadvertent intraoperative hypothermia is a common occurrence in surgical patients. A thermal suit is an option for passive insulation. However, active warming is known to be more effective. Therefore, we hypothesised that a forced‐air warming (FAW) unit connected to the thermal suit is superior to a commercial FAW blanket and a warming mattress in breast cancer surgery. Methods: Forty patients were randomised to this prospective, clinical trial to wear either the thermal suit or conventional hospital clothes under general anaesthesia. The Thermal suit group had a FAW unit set to 38°C and connected to the legs of the suit. The Hospital clothes group had a lower body blanket set to 38°C and a warming mattress set to 37°C. Core temperature was measured with zero‐heat‐flux sensor. The primary outcome was core temperature on admission to the recovery room. Results: There was no difference in mean core temperatures at anaesthetic induction (P =.4) or on admission to the recovery room (P =.07). One patient in the Thermal suit group (5%) vs six patients in the Hospital clothes group (32%) suffered from intraoperative hypothermia (P =.04, 95% CI 1.9%‐49%). Mean skin temperatures (MSTs) were higher in the Thermal suit group during anaesthesia. No burns or skin irritations were reported. Two patients in the Thermal suit group sweated. Conclusions: A thermal suit connected to a FAW unit was not superior to a commercial FAW blanket, although the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia was lower in patients treated with a thermal suit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]