Title : The effect of prewarming on body temperature and shivering in total knee arthroplasty patients after surgery
Abstract:
This quasi–experimental research study was conducted to compare body temperature and shivering after surgery in patients who received pre-warming before undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) and those who receive only routine nursing care. The samples were the patients who underwent TKA at a university hospital in Bangkok Metropolis. 31 patients were randomly assigned for experimental group and 31 others were control group. Data were collected by using the following: the patient demographic and clinical characteristics record, tympanic membrane thermometer, ambient temperature and humidity meter and the wrench’s scale. Data were analyzed by using one – way ANCOVA to compare the differences between the means of body temperature before the surgery and the means body temperature at the time before they were discharged from the operating room, at the time the subjects entered the recovery room, and at 30 and 60 minutes after the subjects had been transferred to the recovery room and the means body temperature measured before discharged to the ward. And shivering were analyzed by Chi-square test. The results showed that the means body temperature of the subjects in the experimental group was higher than that of the subjects in the control group at the time before they were discharged from the operating room, at the time the subjects entered the recovery room and at 30 and 60 minutes after the subjects had been transferred to the recovery room (p = .000, p = .003, p = .001 and p = .003, respectively). The means of body temperature before returning to the recovery room of both groups were not statistically significant (p = .391). In addition, the shivering in the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group at time that the subjects entered to the recovery room and at 30 minutes after the subjects had been transferred to the recovery room (p = .009 and p = .003, respectively). At 60 minutes after the subjects had been transferred to the recovery room the experimental group and control group were not statistically significant (p = .104). In summary, the results showed pre-warming before administration of the spinal block is effective in reducing the occurrence of hypothermia and postoperative shivering. Therefore should be as a guideline for improving nursing care.
Key words: Pre-Warming/Body Temperature/ Shivering/Total Knee Arthroplasty Surgery.
