Thermal and hemodynamic responses to postoperative rewarming with a sub-atmospheric pressure device

Cutaneous rewarming of hypothermic patients is a slow process, since vasoconstriction limits heat transfer from the skin surface to the core thermal compartment. A self-contained sub-atmospheric pressure warming device has recently been developed to allow rapid core rewarming by overcoming the vasoconstrictive response to hypothermia. The current study was performed to determine the safety and efficacy of sub-atmospheric pressure rewarming by measuring thermal and hemodynamic changes in postoperative surgical patients. Sub-atmospheric pressure rewarming preferentially delivers heat to the core rather than the skin surface, and effectively rewarms postoperative patients without adverse hemodynamic effects.