JMIR Perioperative Medicine · Published 2025-12-26 · DOI 10.2196/85045
Abstract BackgroundHypothermia, defined as a core body temperature below 36 °C, is a common postoperative complication associated with adverse outcomes, including delayed wound healing, infections, and increased bleeding. ObjectiveThis randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of different forced-air warming system temperature settings in treating postoperative hypothermia in the postanesthesia care unit. MethodsA total of 132 patients undergoing elective surgery at Ramathibodi Hospital between April 2023 and May 2024 were randomized into 3 groups (n=44 per group): group C (warming set to 38 °C), group F1 (warming set to 42 °C), and group F2 (warming set to 42 °C, reduced to 38 °C after achieving 36 °C). Tympanic temperature was recorded at 5-minute intervals during rewarming and every 10 minutes after normothermia (≥36 °C) was achieved. The primary outcome was rewarming time. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of temperature drops, hemodynamic parameters, adverse events, and patient comfort scores. ResultsBaseline characteristics and clinical variables, including vital signs, were comparable among groups (PPPP ConclusionsWhile rewarming times were similar across groups, the protocol using an initial setting of 42 °C followed by a reduction to 38 °C (group F2) effectively minimized temperature drops after normothermia, suggesting its superiority for managing postoperative hypothermia in the postanesthesia care unit.
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