Intraoperative Heat Conservation Using a Reflective Blanket

Abstract

brated with ambient temperature. Test patients were wrapped in the aluminized blanket as completely as po­ sitioning would allow; test and control patients were draped in standard manner. For test patients in Groups 1 and 2, a copper cable connected the aluminized blanket to the operating table to prevent patient isolation. Patient temperature, mon­ itored with an esophageal temperature probe,20 operating room temperature, and relative humidity were recorded at half-hour intervals. Other aspects of anesthetic man­ agement were left to the discretion of the responsible anesthesiologist. Patients were observed for shivering in the recovery room by a nurse blinded to the treatment. Observations were subjected to chi-square analysis. Tem­ perature and humidity data were examined by analysis of variance. All results are reported as significant if P < 0.05.