Effects of Three Different Heating Devices on Patients Undergoing Surgery: A Network Meta-Analysis

Abstract

PurposePerioperative hypothermia is a common anesthesia-related complication that can result in negative outcomes. Intraoperative active heating can affect patients. Therefore this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of three common heating devices for controlling hypothermia, improving thermal comfort, and reducing anesthesia recovery time. DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis MethodsSeven electronic literature databases were searched from the inception date of the databases to March 18, 2022. RevMan 5.4 and Stata 15.1 were used to perform meta-analyses on the obtained data, and the Cochrane Evaluation Manual was used for quality risk assessment of the included studies. ResultsA total of 18 studies involving 1511 patients undergoing surgery using heating devices were included. In this meta-analysis, a ranking method known as the Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking Curve (SUCRA) was utilized. SUCRA provides a numerical measure of the effectiveness of treatments, with higher values indicating superior efficacy. The findings from this meta-analysis demonstrated that the concurrent use of three heating devices led to an elevation in core body temperatures (SUCRA = 69.2%) and enhanced delayed recovery (SUCRA = 88.6%), as compared to the application of a single device. Furthermore, for thermal comfort, the employment of heating blankets proved to be the most effective (SUCRA = 87.8%). ConclusionThis study showed the core body temperatures and improved delayed recovery were greater when three heating devices compared to use one of them alone, and the use of heating blankets was the most effective option for improving the thermal comfort of patients. Thus, clinicians should opt for appropriate heating equipment according to the type of surgery and the characteristics and needs of patients. The choice of appropriate heating equipment will ensure surgical safety, improve patient comfort, and reduce surgical risks.