Effectiveness of an Underbody Forced Warm-Air Blanket during Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in the Prevention of Postoperative Hypothermia: A Prospective Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial

Perioperative hypothermia in cardiac surgery is associated with adverse outcome. The aim of this investigation was to study whether an underbody forced-air warming blanket during coronary artery bypass graft surgery with normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass can prevent postoperative hypothermia. Methods: After Medical Ethics Committee approval, 60 low-risk cardiac surgery patients at random were assigned into a group that received standard thermal care management (control group n = 30) and a group that received the underbody forced-air warming system plus the standard thermal care (intervention group n = 30). Results: The temperature after-drop from the end of cardiopulmonary bypass to arrival in the ICU was less in the intervention group versus control group (0.4°C ± 0.3°C vs 0.6°C ± 0.4°C; P = 0.027). Out of the intervention group, 27 patients arrived in the ICU with a bladder temperature ? 36°C (90%) as compared to 14 patients (46.7%) from the control group (P < 0.001). The peripheral temperature was significantly higher in the intervention group as compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: A full underbody forced-air warming blanket prevents postoperative hypothermia in normothermic coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.