Active Patient Warming: How Maintaining Normothermia Helps Prevent Postoperative Complications

Despite advancements in modern anesthesiology, inadvertent intraoperative hypothermia can negatively impact the surgical process, recovery speed, and overall clinical outcomes. Without proper prevention, it can occur in more than half of patients during surgical procedures.

The primary cause is the disruption of thermoregulatory mechanisms under the influence of general or regional anesthesia. Within the first 30–60 minutes after anesthetic induction, heat redistributes from core to peripheral tissues, while heat loss is exacerbated by the surgical field, intravenous fluid therapy, and the cool operating room environment.

Even a slight drop in core body temperature below 36 °C can adversely affect surgery progression, postoperative recovery, and complication rates. Consequently, maintaining normothermia is currently viewed as an essential component of modern perioperative care.

Hypothermia as a Risk Factor for Postoperative Complications

What is Hypothermia?

Hypothermia is defined as a drop in core body temperature below 36 °C. In the perioperative period, even minor deviations from this threshold can trigger physiological changes that compromise surgery execution and recovery.

Potential Postoperative Complications

Clinical studies demonstrate a strong link between intraoperative hypothermia and an increased risk of surgical site infections (SSIs), heightened blood loss, greater need for blood transfusions, postoperative shivering, and prolonged hospital stays. Thus, preventing hypothermia remains a vital aspect of perioperative medicine.

High-Risk Patient Groups

Targeted temperature management is especially critical for elderly patients, individuals with cardiovascular diseases, patients undergoing major abdominal, vascular, orthopedic, or cardiac surgeries, and procedures lasting longer than 30–60 minutes.

Normothermia: A Modern Standard for Surgical Safety

Normothermia involves maintaining core body temperature at or above 36 °C throughout the entire perioperative period. International guidelines from NICE, WHO, and ERAS emphasize the necessity of temperature monitoring and the prevention of inadvertent intraoperative hypothermia. In clinical practice, normothermia is achieved through continuous temperature monitoring and the use of modern active warming systems.

How Active Warming Prevents Postoperative Complications

Active warming maintains physiological body temperature during surgery, which enhances tissue perfusion and oxygenation. This creates optimal conditions for surgical wound healing, reduces the incidence of surgical site infections, and helps mitigate hypothermia-induced coagulopathy.

Beyond clinical advantages, maintaining normothermia contributes to shorter hospital stays, reduced transfusion requirements, and optimized utilization of operating room resources.

How Modern Patient Warming Systems Work

The most extensively researched method of active warming is forced-air warming, implemented via patient warming systems. It operates by delivering warm air through specialized single-use blankets, ensuring even heat distribution and minimizing heat loss throughout the procedure.

Forced-air warming technology is widely adopted in modern perioperative care and aligns with international protocols for preventing inadvertent intraoperative hypothermia. It seamlessly integrates into standardized clinical pathways, such as ERAS programs. As a result, when equipping operating suites, medical facilities increasingly favor active warming systems that combine clinical efficacy, safety, and ease of use.

A prime example of such a solution is the Calima™ convective warming system, which utilizes forced-air warming technology to maintain patient normothermia during surgeries. Designed specifically for intraoperative temperature management, the system is adaptable to diverse clinical scenarios thanks to its wide selection of disposable blankets and flexible temperature settings.

Why Choose Calima™

The Calima™ convective warming system assists in maintaining patient normothermia during surgical interventions and meets current standards of perioperative care.

Key Advantages of Calima™:

• An effective active warming system based on forced-air warming technology to maintain patient normothermia;

• 4 temperature settings and 3 airflow speeds;

• 34 blanket types tailored for various clinical scenarios;

• Integrated safety monitoring system;

• Compact design and high mobility.

COR-Medical is the official provider of the Calima™ system in Ukraine, supporting healthcare facilities in adopting modern normothermia management solutions aligned with international standards.

Why Modern Clinics Implement Active Warming

Deploying active warming technologies complies with modern international guidelines and serves as a key indicator of perioperative care quality. Maintaining normothermia enhances patient safety, improves clinical outcomes, and optimizes treatment costs associated with managing postoperative complications.