Transepidermal water loss in the infant surgical patient

Abstract

Evaporative water loss from skin of the newborn surgical patient is a critical factor in overall water balance and an important source of heat loss. We studied 15 infant surgical patients under the following clinical conditions: (1) exposed babies; (2) infants covered by cloth drapes and lying on a cloth blanket; (3) infants covered by a plastic drape and lying on a cloth blanket; (4) babies lying on a plastic sheet and covered by a plastic sheet; and (5) infants placed in a plastic bag. This study demonstrated that evaporative water loss of the infant surgical patient can be significantly reduced by placing impermeable plastic sheets over and under the baby. This allowed water vapor to accumulate about the baby, increasing the relative humidity and reducing the evaporative water loss. An even further reduction in transepithelial water loss was accomplished by utilizing a plastic bag.