Maintenance of body temperature in elderly patients who have joint replacement surgery A comparison between the heat and moisture exchanger and heated humidifier

Content Provider	Scilit
Author	Yam, P. C. Ip Carli, F.
Copyright Year	1990
Description	Journal: Anaesthesia The effect of a heat and moisture exchanger on intra-operative aural canal (core) and mean skin temperatures was investigated in elderly patients who had elective total hip arthroplasty under general anaesthesia with artificial ventilation of the lungs. Group 1 (n = 20) did not receive any form of artificial humidification while in group 2 (n = 20) a heat and moisture exchanger was inserted in the breathing system and in group 3 (n = 20) the inspired gases were humidified and warmed at 40 degrees C by means of a heated humidifier. Time of surgery, intravenous fluid administration and operating theatre temperature were standardised. Mean (SD) aural canal (core) temperature decreased significantly in groups 1 and 2 (p less than 0.001), while there was a fall of 0.3 degrees C (0.6) in group 3, which was not significant. Mean skin temperature decreased during anaesthesia and surgery in both groups 1 and 2 (p less than 0.05), while it increased in group 3. There was a significantly greater loss of body heat in groups 1 and 2 compared with group 3 intra-operatively (p less than 0.001). We conclude tha a heat and moisture exchanger did not prevent the decrease in intra-operative body temperature in elderly patients.
Related Links	http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2044.1990.tb14832.x/pdf
Ending Page	565
Page Count	3
Starting Page	563
e-ISSN	13652044
DOI	10.1111/j.1365-2044.1990.tb14832.x
Journal	Anaesthesia
Issue Number	7
Volume Number	45
Language	English
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher Date	1990-07-01
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Journal: Anaesthesia
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article