First, upon induction of general anesthesia, the body begins to cool, and it will continue cooling without intervention. While the operating room is typically cold, which doesn’t help, general anesthesia is the real culprit of perioperative hypothermia.
Anesthetized patients lose the ability to control their own temperature, which typically results in a significant drop in core temperature in the first 30 minutes after anesthesia is administered. Hypothermia has been linked to increased wound infections, increased blood loss, longer recovery time, and higher mortality rates.
Active patient warming is the worldwide standard of care for surgical patients, especially those undergoing procedures longer than 60 minutes. Active warming is the use of powered blankets and mattresses that generate heat to actively warm the patient. Passive warming, such as standard blankets and reflective space blankets, merely traps the patient’s body heat in. Passive warming is not effective at re-warming a hypothermic patient.
So what does a HotDog® have to do with patient warming?
HotDog® Patient Warming is an air-free, water-free, state-of-the-art perioperative patient warming system. Efficient warming is delivered by a flexible, lightweight conductive polymer fabric inside of HotDog® blankets and mattresses. It’s the only patient warming system that warms the patient from above and below simultaneously, resulting in a uniquely versatile, less expensive, and more effective warming solution.
Also, it’s important to note that the commonly used forced-air warming systems have been linked to increased infections in orthopedic implant surgery. HotDog® is a safer choice because it does not employ forced-air.
Now we know what a HotDog® has to do with patient warming: it provides safe, effective perioperative warming, and maintains normothermia 96.2% of the time.
There are plenty of additional benefits to be enjoyed by surgical teams and administrators. Contact me in the Greater Los Angeles to Central California area, or visit www.HotDogWarming.com to learn more.
