Convective warming blankets improve peroperative heat preservation in congenital heart surgery.

Peroperative heat preservation, following hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in children, has always been a challenge to the anaesthetist. We studied the efficiency of a convective heating system on peroperative heat preservation in 50 children undergoing congenital heart surgery. Twenty-five children, rewarmed by CPB and heating mattress, were randomly selected (Group 1). Another 25 children, rewarmed by CPB, heating mattress and convective warming blankets in addition (Group 2), were selected so the two groups were comparable regarding age, weight and anaesthetic management. The central and peripheral temperatures were measured during bypass, at the end of bypass and at the end of operation. A retrospective evaluation showed that during bypass the peripheral temperature was significantly lower in Group 2 than in Group 1, with no significant difference in central temperature. At the end of bypass there was no significant difference between the two groups. At the end of operation the central and peripheral temperatures were significantly higher in Group 2. In conclusion convective warming blankets are effective in keeping or even raising the temperature following congenital heart surgery.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes