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 .
[Prevention of intraoperative hypothermia in children].
UNLABELLED Children are very sensible to the occurrence of  intraoperative hypothermia ( HT )  ( core temperature < or = 36.0 degrees C ) during general anaesthesia because their regulation capacity is less effective than in adults and due to a large skin-surface area compared with their body mass . We compared the efficacy of different heating devices to prevent HT in children during surgery . METHODS With approval of the local ethics committee 50 children between one and seven years , scheduled for peripheral surgery lasting at least 2 hours were included in this study . Anaesthesia was st and ardized in all patients . Patients were r and omly divided into 5 groups . In group 1 , in addition to the usual cotton blankets , room temperature was elevated to 27 - 28 degrees C. In group 2 , room temperature was maintained at 27 - 28 degrees C , and the patients were additionally wrapped into an aluminum blanket . In group 3 , elevated room temperature was combined with a convective heating blanket . Patients in group 4 were warmed with an aluminum blanket , while the room temperature was maintained at 22 degrees C. In group 5 , room temperature was maintained at 22 degrees C and patients were warmed with a convective heating device ( Tab . 1 ) . Room and core body temperature ( tympanon membrane ) were continuously measured . ANOVA and Fisher 's exact Test ( significance level : p < 0.05 ) were performed for the statistical analysis of the results . RESULTS The demographic data of all 5 groups , the infused fluid volume and the anaesthetic technique were similar . There were no significant differences concerning age , height and weight of the pediatric patients ( Tab . 2 ) . The core temperature decreased by -1.7 degrees C in group 1 . In group 4 core temperature decreased by -1.6 degrees C. Using a convective warming system in normal ambient temperature ( group 5 ) core temperature increased by 0.2 degree C and was as effective in the prevention of HT as group 2 . A significant increase in core temperature occurred in group 3 + 0.7 degree C ( Tab . 3 and Fig. 1 ) . DISCUSSION OR temperature seems to be a critical factor influencing heat loss . Increasing OR temperature and covering with cotton sheets was not effective in preventing the heat loss . Increasing room temperature in combination with aluminum sheets is one alternative to prevent HT . Our study shows that the use of a convective warming device prevents HT during a 2-hour surgery in young children even at a OR temperature of about 22 degrees C. In conclusion , in pediatric patients the use of a convective heating system proved to be an effective alternative to room heating
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 .