Dr. Augustine’s invention, the Bair Hugger, carries warmed air through a hose to a special blanket to keep the patient warm during surgery. He now says the invention could endanger surgical patients receiving implant devices like artificial heart valves and joints, as the forced air could spread bacteria associated with hospital-acquired infections.
Some patient warming specialists have responded that Dr. Augustine, who no longer has a financial stake in the Bair Hugger, has yet to show substantial evidence that devices like the Bair Hugger pose a threat.
Read the New York Times report on the Bair Hugger.
Read more on medical devices:
–Stent Reps Disobeying Hospital Ban Linked to Questionable Implants
–3 Tools Hospitals Can Use to Enhance Patient Safety
–Incoming House Oversight Chair Targets Orthopedic, Other Medical Devices
