Bair Huggers Over Blankets?

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 30, 2015

We were told a few years ago that the manufacturer states noting between the blanket and the patient- partly for effectiveness and partly because of potential for injury due to superheating materials (think the metal snaps on the patient's gown). Never did see any documentation, but our patient safety officer is usually on top of that kind of stuff.

guest5/20 · May 8, 2015

3Mâ„¢ Bair Huggerâ„¢ blankets are specially designed to have the perforated side of the blanket on the patient's skin. This ensures optimal heat transfer and clinical warming to the patient. We don't recommend placing any blankets or sheets between the Bair Hugger warming blanket and the patient as this will reduce the effectiveness and may cause uneven heat distribution to the cloth blanket or sheet.

mhy12784 · May 8, 2015

3Mâ„¢ Bair Huggerâ„¢ blankets are specially designed to have the perforated side of the blanket on the patient's skin. This ensures optimal heat transfer and clinical warming to the patient. We don't recommend placing any blankets or sheets between the Bair Hugger warming blanket and the patient as this will reduce the effectiveness and may cause uneven heat distribution to the cloth blanket or sheet.

So I guess my question is what about when you use your operating room table in deep reverse reverse trendelenburg? We use 2 safety straps to keep the patient from falling off the table (along with a foot-board)

Do you put both safety straps under the bair hugger and risk it heating up any metal burning the patient (plus any concerns about putting safety straps directly against a patients skin which ive never seen done) ? Do you put the safety straps over the bair hugger and risk ineffectiveness and or hot pockets ?

Or put the bair hugger over a blanket, with the safety straps on top (blanket > bair hugger > straps) to reduce the risk of burns?

Editorial Team / Admin · May 9, 2015

We always do forced air warming blanket directly against skin, then regular blanket, then safety strap. We usually turn on the blanket before prepping/draping to ensure that the whole thing fills.

mhy12784 · May 9, 2015

We always do forced air warming blanket directly against skin, then regular blanket, then safety strap. We usually turn on the blanket before prepping/draping to ensure that the whole thing fills.

Even if you use two safety straps ?

And very very snug

(the patients are often larger and going into deep reverse tberg, so avoiding patients falling off the bed is quite important)

Mavrick, BSN, RN · May 9, 2015

Do snug safety straps impede the flow of warm air?

Editorial Team / Admin · May 9, 2015

Do snug safety straps impede the flow of warm air?

They can. More importantly, if they are too snug, they can impair skin integrity and blood flow. General rule is be able to fit two fingers in between the strap and the patient.

OP, it sounds like you are working in bariatric surgery or working with a population of bariatric patients. Have you looked into resources from AORN that address the special needs of these patients? I believe there was some information related to this available as a publication of some sort. There is also a recorded webinar that may be helpful.

mhy12784 · May 10, 2015

They can. More importantly, if they are too snug, they can impair skin integrity and blood flow. General rule is be able to fit two fingers in between the strap and the patient.
OP, it sounds like you are working in bariatric surgery or working with a population of bariatric patients. Have you looked into resources from AORN that address the special needs of these patients? I believe there was some information related to this available as a publication of some sort. There is also a recorded webinar that may be helpful.

You are a very wise person