Heated Vest Keeps Clinicians Warm in Cold Operating Rooms

A new lightweight vest warms the chest, shoulders, and back of operating room (OR) staff, keeping the cold at bay.

The Clinician Warming Vest is made of ThermAssure, a thermos-conductive polymer fabric that delivers safe and effective warming without the need of blowing hot air. Intended be worn over surgical scrubs, the vest has a heater insert safely sealed in a urethane shell, which is placed into a pouch and connected to the proprietary HotDog system warming controller, which uses low voltage (48 VDC) electricity to provide users with a combination of radiant and conductive uniform heating.

The system controller delivers the low voltage current via an electrical buss and a thin, flexible, cable that is attached with an easy connect/disconnect coupler. Additional features include temperature control, an ID badge hanger, and a zippered interior pocket. The machine washable clinician vest is a product of Augustine Temperature Management (Eden Prairie, MN, USA), and is available in two adjustable sizes; one covers XS to M, and the other accommodates roughly L to XXL sizes.

The temperature range in an OR is maintained at about 20o C by air conditioning in order to prevent the buildup of humidity, as the resulting condensation can fall onto sterilized surfaces, operating tools, or possibly into an open wound. Humidity and heat also promote bacterial growth. Because many OR systems, such as surgical lights, can produce a lot of excess warmth, in addition to the heat already being produced by the human body, they can cause a surgeon to sweat, which also poses a serious health risk to the patient.

The HotDog patient warming system provides complete perioperative warming solutions, for supine, lateral, or lithotomy positions or for use in cardiac and burn units. The system uses the same semi-conductive polymeric fabric as the vest to deliver heat energy evenly. Some surface temperature variations are designed to enhance the blankets’ safety and effectiveness in order to provide an optimal blend of conductive warming and radiant heat transfer.

Related Links:
Augustine Temperature Management