IMPACT OF COMBINED FORCED-AIR WARMING AND INTRAOPERATIVE FLUID HEATING ON HYPOTHERMIA AND POSTOPERATIVE MOBILITY IN ATHLETIC PATIENT UNDERGOING SPINAL SURGERY

Abstract

Objective: To explore the application value of forced-air warming blanket (FAWB) plus intraoperative fluid-heating apparatus in spinal surgery, and to observe its effect on alleviating athletic patients' intraoperative hypothermia and improving postoperative mobility. Methods: The tympanic membrane temperature was measured as the core temperature before induction (T0), 60 min after skin incision (T1), 90 min after skin incision (T2), and 48 h after surgery (T3), and athletic patients’ heart rate (HR) and diastolic/systolic blood pressure (DBP/SBP) were recorded. Urine volume, hemoglobin (HB), and hematocrit (HCT) were also counted. Besides, counting the occurrence of shivering in athletic patients after surgery, and their neurological function and activity ability were evaluated before and 1-3 days after the intervention using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Barthel index (BI). Finally, the hospital length of stay (HLOS) was counted, and the difference in satisfaction was investigated at discharge. Results: Groups A and B showed no evident differences in body temperature, HR, SBP, DBP, urine volume, HB, HCT, and LAC (P>0.05). OG had lower NIHSS than CG at post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) admission as well as on postoperative day 1 and day 2 days, with even higher and FMA scores and BI results at 1 and 2 days after surgery (P<0.05). In contrast, the incidence of shivering was lower in the observation group than in the control group when comparing the two groups (P<0.05). Finally, a shorter HLOS and a higher satisfaction score were determined in OG as compared to CG (P<0.05). Conclusions: FAWB + fluid-heating apparatus can effectively maintain the body temperature of athletic patients undergoing spinal surgery, avoid postoperative hypothermia, and speed up athletic patients’ postoperative rehabilitation of neurological function and limb mobility.