This study evaluates the feasibility of using thermal blankets to actively warm massively bleeding trauma patients at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. It is hypothesized that either full thermal blankets or half thermal blankets will be a feasible intervention to implement for the care of massively bleeding trauma patients.
Hypothermia (core body temperature of \<36˚C), is a strong risk factor for mortality and poor outcomes in trauma patients due to its negative hemostatic, cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal effects. Current evidence has reported that massively bleeding hypothermic trauma patients have higher odds of mortality in the first 24 hours of hospital admission, increased length of stay, and increased need for transfusion. Standard hospital blankets are used to passively warm patients through resuscitation and treatment until arrival to the ICU. Interventions such as active heating through thermal blankets should be considered to prevent and treat hypothermia upon arrival of patients than standard warmed hospital blankets to prevent deleterious outcomes in this population.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
DEVICE_FEASIBILITY
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
15
Ready-Heat 6-Panel Blanket (Military style, manufactured by Techtrade LLC). The 6-panel military-style blanket (86cm x 152 cm, 1.13kg) warms to 40˚C in approximately 15-20 minutes and maintains this temperature for 10 hours.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Was the blanket applied to the patient?
Binary indication of whether or not the blanket is applied to the patient
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 24 hours
Were patient temperatures recorded?
At least 2 temperature recordings (1 in the trauma bay and 1 in the next phase of care - CT scanner suite, angioembolozation suite, emergency department \[ED\], or operating room), or preferentially, at the final phase of care usually the ICU or ED
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 24 hours
Did the blanket remain on the patient?
Binary indication of whether or not the blanket is kept on the patient in each phase of care until arrival to ICU (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6-hours post initial application of the blanket)
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 24 hours
Was the blanket placed directly on the patients skin?
Number of times blanket is placed directly on the skin
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 24 hours
Cold Discomfort Questionnaire
Assess cold discomfort of the patient during resuscitation (min value=0 \[warm\], max value=10 \[unbearably cold\])
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Did the patients temperature exceed 38 degrees Celsius?
Binary outcome of whether patient temperature exceeded 38 degrees Celsius throughout phases of care
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 24 hours
Did the patient experience any redness and/or burns?
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Number of times redness and/or burns are reported by the patient and/or treating clinician
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 24 hours