SYSTEM FOR CONVECTIVE WARMING OF A PATIENT DURING CARDIAC SURGERY

摘要

A warming system is providedfor convectively warming a patientduring a progressive medicalprocedure, such as cardiac surgery. Thesystem includes one or more inflatablethermal blankets that are adjustablyconfigurable to cover one or both ofa patient's legs. Each thermal blankedincludes an inflatable covering formedfrom an upper sheet and a base sheetattached at a plurality of locations.The base sheet includes a pluralityof apertures that direct an inflatingmedium from the inflatable coveringtoward the patient. A portion of eachthermal blanket is initially furledus-ing a retaining device that preventsan inflating medium from inflating thefurled portion. The non-furled portionof each thermal blanket is allowed toinflate and cover a patient. Prior toinflation, the furled portion of eachthermal blanket defines a thermal blanketedge which demarcates an access areafor a surgical procedure. When the re-taining strip is removed, the furled portion is unfurled by action of theinflating medium and self erects into a continuation of the previouslyinflated non-furled portion of the thermal blanket to cover the surgicalaccess site. A surgical drape may be placed over the tops of thethermal blankets in order to properly position each blanket on the patient, tomaintain the temperature controlled medium proximate tothe patient, and to perform the usual barrier functions of a drape. In theoperation, a heater/blower that includes a compressor and aheater supplies heated air, under pressure, to an inlet opening in the one ormore inflatable thermal blankets. The heated, pressurized air isdistributed throughout each inflatable blanket, and flows to the patientthrough the apertures in the blanket's base sheet.