According to the abstract, forced-air warming does not disrupt laminar air flow in operating rooms or compromise the safety of the surgical site. At this point, at least six independent, peer-reviewed studies have shown that forced-air warming does not increase the dispersion of bacteria near the patient, and several independent randomized control studies have demonstrated that perioperative temperature management with forced-air warming decreases infection risk in patients.
The authors evaluated the effect of forced-air warming on laminar air flow performance in operating rooms at two hospitals in the Netherlands. The study’s conclusions align with models that demonstrate the downward stream of laminar air flow effectively reduces bacteria concentrations around the operative site.
The authors concluded that forced-air warming does not reduce the quality of air in the operating room.
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