Hypothermia control in elderly surgical patients in the intraoperative period: evaluation of two nursing interventions.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of two different nursing interventions regarding control of body heat loss, using blankets during the intraoperative period of elderly patients. METHODS This was an experimental, comparative, applied, longitudinal prospective study with a quantitative approach. Eighty-one elderly patients undergoing elective surgery with a surgical time frame of at least one hour were selected by systematic probability sampling into two Experimental and one Control Group. Informed consent was obtained from participants. Data was collected by biophysiological measurement, using a tympanic thermometer. RESULTS After the homogeneity of variables - gender, surgical duration, age, BMR, anesthesia, room humidity and temperature, drugs and liquid infusion- had been demonstrated, the interventions were confronted. Incidence of hypothermia (59.3%) and body heat loss (E1=-0.6 degrees C , E2=-0.6 degrees C and C=-0.7 degrees C) were not significantly different between the groups (p=0.85 and p=0.7 respectively). CONCLUSIONS Results show the need for associated extra body warming methods to maintain normothermia.