• S M Frank, T W Hesel, H K El-Rahmany, K M Tran, and O S Bamford.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. sfrank@welch.jhu.edu
• J Clin Anesth. 2000 Jun 1;12(4):283-7.

Study ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of warmed, humidified inspired oxygen (O(2)) for the treatment of mildly hypothermic postoperative patients.DesignProspective, randomized, unblinded clinical trial.SettingPostanesthesia care unit in a tertiary care hospital.Patients And Interventions30 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients following intraabdominal surgical procedures were randomly assigned to receive either routine O(2) therapy (control group, n = 15), or warmed (42 degrees C) humidified O(2) (treatment group, n = 15) for the initial 90 postoperative minutes.MeasurementsCore (tympanic) temperature, dry mouth score and shivering score.Main ResultsTympanic temperature was similar in both groups on admission ( approximately 35.8 degrees C). Rewarming rate in the first postoperative hour was greater in the treatment group (0.7 +/- 0.1 degrees C. hr(-1)) compared to the control group (0.4 +/- 0.1 degrees C. hr(-1)) (p = 0.03). Patients receiving the warmed, humidified O(2) had a lower incidence of dry mouth compared to the control group (p = 0.03). The incidence of shivering was low and similar in both groups.ConclusionsWarming and humidifying inspired O(2) hastens recovery from hypothermia in postoperative patients.

14 keywords...

hide…