In the fixed effect model , the warming group had significantly less pain and lower incidence of wound infection , compared with the no-warming group .
In the r and om effect model , the warming group was also associated with lower risk of post-anesthetic shivering .
Both in the r and om and the fixed effect models , the warming group was associated with significantly less blood loss .
Perioperative warming of surgical patients is effective in reducing postoperative wound pain , wound infection and shivering .
Systemic warming of the surgical patient is also associated with less perioperative blood loss through preventing hypothermia-induced coagulopathy .
OBJECTIVE The objective of this review was to systematic ally analyze the trials on the effectiveness of perioperative warming in surgical patients .
Perioperative hypothermia and postoperative opioid requirements
Background and objective Hypothermia may alter the disposition of opioids . Because opioids are commonly used as analgesics in the postoperative period , it is of clinical interest to clarify whether perioperatively developed hypothermia affects postoperative opioid requirements . Methods Fifty-nine patients undergoing subtotal hysterectomy were prospect ively r and omized and either treated intraoperatively with forced air warming , or served as controls covered with conventional blankets without active warming . Both groups received postoperative patient-controlled analgesia with the opioid ketobemidone .  Total analgesic requirements , dem and s , analgesic requirements over 6-h intervals and pain scores were measured for 48 h. Core temperature at the tympanic membrane and ambient room temperature were measured during the perioperative period . Results There were no postoperative differences in analgesic requirements or pain intensity between normothermic and hypothermic patients . Patients treated with warm air had an up to 1 ° C higher core temperature from 0.5 h after anaesthesia induction until almost 2 h postoperatively . The actively warmed patients also had a lower intraoperative blood loss than the hypothermic patients ( 186 ± 27 mL vs. 308 ± 47 mL;P < 0.05 ) . Conclusion In a clinical setting , opioid requirements do not seem to be affected by mild postoperative hypothermia after lower abdominal surgery
In the fixed effect model , the warming group had significantly less pain and lower incidence of wound infection , compared with the no-warming group .
In the r and om effect model , the warming group was also associated with lower risk of post-anesthetic shivering .
Both in the r and om and the fixed effect models , the warming group was associated with significantly less blood loss .
Perioperative warming of surgical patients is effective in reducing postoperative wound pain , wound infection and shivering .
Systemic warming of the surgical patient is also associated with less perioperative blood loss through preventing hypothermia-induced coagulopathy .
OBJECTIVE The objective of this review was to systematic ally analyze the trials on the effectiveness of perioperative warming in surgical patients .