Effects of Optimal Temperature Control in Body Contouring Surgery: A Non-Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Abstract

Perioperative hypothermia in plastic surgery has underestimated risks, including increased risk of infection, cardiac events, blood loss, prolonged recovery time, increased nausea, pain, and opioid usage. Inadequate preventive measures can result in up to 4 hours of normothermia restoration. Compare the impact of different strategies for normothermia during plastic surgery procedures and its relationship with clinical outcomes. A non-randomized clinical trial was conducted in a single center in Bogota, Colombia. We enrolled adult patients undergoing body contouring surgery and divided them into four intervention groups with different measures to control body temperature. Univariate and Bivariate analyses were performed comparing several clinical symptoms to evaluate outcomes. A total of 197 patients were analyzed. Most of them were women (84,3%). Mean age was 38.6 years, and a median procedure duration of 260 minutes. Demographic and clinical characteristics did not exhibit significant differences between the groups. However, there were notable variations in temperature measurements at crucial moments during the surgical procedure among the groups, attributed to the implementation of distinct thermal protective strategies. Group comparisons showed a relationship between hypothermia with increased nausea, vomiting, shivering, pain, and additional analgesia requirements. Incorporation of active thermal protective measures, such as Blanketrol or HotDog, during body contouring procedures, markedly diminishes the risk of hypothermia and enhances overall clinical outcomes. Implementing these active measures to maintain the patient in a state of normothermia not only improves operating room efficiency but also leads to a reduction in recovery room duration.