From the Guidelines
The Bair Hugger system should be used with temperature parameters ranging from 37°C to 43°C (98.6°F to 109.4°F) to maintain normothermia, with the goal of keeping the patient's core temperature between 36.5-37.5°C. When initiating forced-air warming, healthcare providers should select the appropriate temperature based on the patient's condition, with higher settings (43°C) often used initially to warm hypothermic patients, then reducing to medium (40°C) or low (37°C) settings for maintenance 1. The device includes built-in safety features that automatically shut off if temperatures exceed safe limits. For pediatric patients, lower temperature settings are typically recommended. The warming unit should be positioned properly with the hose connected securely to the disposable blanket, ensuring the blanket is in direct contact with the patient's skin for optimal heat transfer. Regular monitoring of the patient's core temperature is essential during use to prevent overheating, with the goal typically being to maintain normothermia (36.5-37.5°C) 1.
Some key points to consider when using the Bair Hugger system include:
- Maintaining normothermia is crucial to prevent perioperative morbid cardiac events, such as unstable angina, cardiac arrest, and myocardial infarction 1
- Hypothermia is an independent predictor of morbid cardiac events, and maintaining normothermia can reduce the risk by 55% 1
- The Bair Hugger system is effective in creating a warm microenvironment around the patient, allowing for convective heat transfer that helps maintain core body temperature during procedures or recovery
- Regular monitoring of the patient's core temperature is essential to prevent overheating and maintain normothermia 1
From the Research
Bair Hugger Parameters and Temperature
- The Bair Hugger 250/PACU Patient Warming System with 300 Warming Cover is a forced-air warming system that transfers more than 50 W to the body, making it an efficient method for preventing or reversing decreases in core temperature 2.
- The system has been compared to other forced-air warming systems, including the Thermacare TC1000 Power Unit, WarmAir 130 Hypothermia System, and WarmTouch 5000 Patient Warming System, and was found to have greater total heat transfer 2.
- The Bair Hugger system and Warming Cover have been shown to be effective in areas important for heat transfer from the periphery to the body core, such as the chest, axilla, abdomen, and upper legs 2.
- A pilot study evaluated the usefulness of the Bair Hugger temperature monitoring system in the neck and chest regions and found that it can monitor core body temperature seamlessly and with high reliability when used in the neck region 3.
Temperature Monitoring and Control
- Temperature monitoring in the perioperative periods is important to avoid both hyperthermia and hypothermia 3.
- The Bair Hugger temperature monitoring system has been shown to be effective in monitoring core body temperature in the neck region, with a mean bias of +0.05°C above esophageal temperature 3.
- Intravascular temperature control systems, such as the Alsius intravascular temperature modulation catheter, can provide an accurate method of temperature regulation in organ donors and may be easier to use from a nursing workload perspective 4.
Warming of Intravenous and Irrigation Fluids
- Warming intravenous and irrigation fluids to core body temperature or above may help prevent heat loss and subsequent hypothermia 5.
- A study found that warmed intravenous fluids kept the core temperature of study participants about half a degree warmer than those given room temperature intravenous fluids 5.
- However, the use of commercial heating elements to warm intravenous fluids in an experimental setting was found to be ineffective at achieving the desired mean infusion temperature of 35°C to 42°C 6.