Purpose: To evaluate if a Full Access Underbody blanket (FAU) used pre-and intraoperatively in patients undergoing major spinal surgery prevents hypothermia compared to current practice and to explore patients' experiences of comfort. Design: A non-randomized controlled trial. Method: Sixty patients were included, 30 in each group. Temperature was assessed at arrival, after connecting to the bladder catheter, at the start and end of surgery. In the FAU group, comfort was evaluated at arrival and after ten minutes of prewarming. Findings: The risk of hypothermia at the start of surgery was significantly lower (Relative Risk (95% CI) of 0.28; (0.13 to 0.59). Before prewarming, 77% felt comfortable, 20% cold and 3% hot. After prewarming 60% felt comfortable, 37% hot and 3% very hot. Conclusions: Patients using FAU had a 72% lower risk of hypothermia at the start of the operation. Attention to thermal comfort during surgery is important.
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