METHODS OF PREVENTION AND REWARMING OF THE PATIENT IN PERIOPERATIVE

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the available evidences on literature about rewarming methods used in perioperative hypothermia prevention and treatment in perioperative time. To develop this we search for fully national or international published papers, thesis or dissertations indexed in Medline, from 1995 to 2005, by the key words hypothermia, perioperative care and rewarming. It was found 20 articles. These studies showed the better rewarming methods to patients in perioperative, especially immediate post operative is the forced air warming; other comparable was the resistive heating. Other methods utilized in our country, like cotton blanket and heating water mattress, are not efficient and can burn the patients, for example. Thus, although the high cost of these technologies we have to salient the hypothermia prevention importance as an effective way on coasts reduction, and deleterious effects provoked for it on post operative rehabilitation of these patients. KEYWORDS: Hypothermia; Rewarming; Perioperative Care.