Bair Hugger Update  

3M™, the company that currently makes and markets the Bair Hugger™ adamantly denies claims that this forced air warming blanket presents undue risk of infection in surgical patients. This denial is supported by a large body of scientific research and cases studies with findings contrary to the claims made by plaintiffs in Bair Hugger™ lawsuits. In fact, multiple studies have found that use of a Bair Hugger™ may actually significantly reduce rates of post-surgical infection and blood loss, shortening hospital stays and speeding patient recovery. A small sampling of these studies and their conclusions in favor of the safety and efficacy of the Bair Hugger™ can be found below.

Zink, R.S. and P.A. Iaizzo, Convective warming therapy does not increase the risk of wound contamination in the operating room. Anesth Analg, 1993. 76(1): p. 50-3.

This study was conducted to determine whether the use of convective warming therapy may increase wound contamination risks. To this end, researchers placed a culture plate through an opening in surgical drapes on the abdomens of eight healthy volunteers: four of whom were covered with warming blankets, and four who were not. They found no significant differences in the bacterial count of the group of subjects placed under warming blankets for two hours when compared to the unwarmed patients. According to these researchers, "It was concluded that convective warming therapy, when appropriately applied, does not increase the risk for airborne bacterial wound contamination in the operating room."

Additional research has also concluded that when used properly, the Bair Hugger™ poses no increased risk of contamination.

Schmied, H., et al., Mild hypothermia increases blood loss and transfusion requirements during total hip arthroplasty. Lancet, 1996. 347(8997): p. 289-92.

In this study, researchers evaluated 60 hip replacement patients who were randomly assigned to two groups: a group where the Bair Hugger™ was used during surgery, and another group without the use of a forced air warming blanket. They found that the group for whose surgeries a Bair Hugger™ was not used experienced "significantly higher" rates of blood loss during and after surgery. They concluded, "The maintenance of intraoperative normothermia reduces blood loss and allogeneic blood requirements in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty."

Subsequent research supports these researchers' conclusions that aggressive warming may significantly reduce blood loss during hip replacement surgery.

Kurz, M.D., et al., Perioperative normothermia to reduce the incidence of surgical-wound infection and shorten hospitalization. N Engl J Med, 1996. 334 1209-1216.

In this study, authors "tested the hypothesis that hypothermia both increases susceptibility to surgical-wound infection and lengthens hospitalization." To do this, they randomly assigned 200 patients undergoing colorectal surgery to undergo their procedures either with warming or without. They then evaluated subjects' wounds daily while they recovered in the hospital, then followed up two weeks later in clinic. They found that the patients who were kept warmer during surgery were far less likely to develop post-surgical infections and had shorter hospital stays than the other group of patients. These researchers concluded, "In summary, this double-blind, randomized study indicates that intraoperative core temperatures approximately 2°C below normal triple the incidence of wound infection and prolong hospitalization by about 20 percent. Maintaining intraoperative normothermia is thus likely to decrease infectious complications and shorten hospitalization in patients undergoing colorectal surgery."

Other studies have also found that preoperative and perioperative warming helps to prevent infection to the extent that prophylactic antibiotics may not be necessary.

Our firm has retracted any prior advertisements or solicitations which contain unsubstantiated claims about the Bair Hugger™.