An investigation of factors affecting postoperative rewarming of adult patients

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Abstract
Summary: Aural canal temperature was measured for one hour after arrival in the recovery room in 200 adult patients who underwent one of the following types of major surgery: abdominal, pelvic, vascular, orthopaedic or prostatic. One group of 100 patients was studied in the recovery room of Hammersmith Hospital which was not equipped with a controlled system for constant ventilation and humidification, while the other 100 patients were studied in the recovery room of Edgware General Hospital. which had a constant ambient temperature and controlled relative humidity with 20 air changes/hour. The rate of rewarming was found to be similar in both groups. Within the range of ambient temperatures and relative humidities measured, patients over 60 years of age rewarmed more slowly than did patients under 60 years (p < 0.05). General anaesthesia was associated with significantly faster rewarming than was local anaesthesia (p < 0.01).