The results of this study suggest that preoperative warming can reduce rates of SSI after surgery .
OBJECTIVE To determine whether preoperative warming can reduce the risk of surgical site infection ( SSI ) after surgery .
BACKGROUND Intraoperative hypothermia is a risk factor for the occurrence of  SSI in patients after surgery .
However , the effectiveness of preoperative warming in reducing the incidence of the condition remains unclear .
Does the addition of active body warming to in-line intravenous fluid warming prevent maternal hypothermia during elective caesarean section? A randomised controlled trial.
INTRODUCTION Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia occurs frequently during elective caesarean section but perioperative active body warming is not widely used . There is a paucity of evidence of its use in the obstetric population , and no applicable guidelines . We set out to identify a superior active warming method for preventing inadvertent perioperative hypothermia . METHODS Following ethical approval , 132 women presenting for uncomplicated elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia were recruited . All participants received in-line intravenous fluid warming and were r and omised to one of three parallel groups : no active body warming ; forced air warming ; and conduction mattress warming . The primary outcome was the difference in mean core temperature , measured on admission to the recovery room , between study groups . Core temperature and thermal comfort were measured perioperatively at 15-min intervals . Estimated blood loss , haemoglobin change , length of hospital stay and neonatal core temperature were also recorded . RESULTS One-hundred- and -thirty-one women completed the study . There was no significant difference in mean core temperature on admission to the recovery room ( 36.6 ° C vs. 36.6 ° C vs. 36.6 ° C , η2=0.005 , P=0.74 ) . Maternal hypothermia was prevented in all groups with only 0.3 % hypothermic at any of the temperature measurements ( 3/1016 ) . There was no difference in mean neonatal core temperature ( 36.3 ° C vs. 36.3 ° C vs. 36.3 ° C , η2=0.003 , P=0.82 ) ; however , 59.4 % ( 76/128 ) of all neonates were hypothermic . CONCLUSION In-line intravenous fluid warming is sufficient to prevent maternal hypothermia and maintain core temperature . The addition of active body warming conferred no added benefit
The results of this study suggest that preoperative warming can reduce rates of SSI after surgery .
OBJECTIVE To determine whether preoperative warming can reduce the risk of surgical site infection ( SSI ) after surgery .
BACKGROUND Intraoperative hypothermia is a risk factor for the occurrence of  SSI in patients after surgery .
However , the effectiveness of preoperative warming in reducing the incidence of the condition remains unclear .