Temperature Monitoring During Surgery

A noninvasive temperature-management system is designed to monitor and regulate core body temperature during complex surgical procedures, such as beating heart, off-pump bypass surgery, and to prevent hypothermia. The system, called Artic Sun, was introduced at the Cardiothoracic Techniques and Technologies annual meeting in Miami (FL, USA).

The development of hypothermia during surgery can result in serious postoperative complications. In a clinical trial, 75 patients were randomized to either a conventional temperature management (forced-air warming blanket, warm intravenous fluids, elevated operating room temperature) or Arctic Sun (two energy transfer pads placed on patient's back). By the operation's conclusion, the Arctic Sun group had achieved normothermia, defined as a core temperature of at least 36 degrees C. in every patient but one, compared to only 42% of the patients in the conventional group. Also, intraoperative blood loss for the Arctic Sun patients was significantly less.

A control module can monitor and automatically adjust the temperature of the water circulating through the transfer pads. The pads transfer energy by direct conduction from water to skin and can alter temperature far more rapidly than conventional methods, says the developer, Medivance, Inc. (Denver, CO, USA).

"The Arctic Sun offers clinicians a new, noninvasive approach to safely and precisely manage a patient's core body temperature, facilitate therapy, and improve clinical outcomes while reducing medical costs,” said Robert A. Kline, president and CEO of Medivance.




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