SYSTEM FOR CONVECTIVE WARMING OF A PATIENT DURING CARDIAC SURGERY

摘要

A warming system is provided for convectively warming a patient during a progressive medical procedure, such as cardiac surgery. The system includes one or more inflatable thermal blankets that are adjustably configurable to cover one or both of a patient's legs. Each thermal blanked includes an inflatable covering formed from an upper sheet and a base sheet attached at a plurality of locations. The base sheet includes a plurality of apertures that direct an inflating medium from the inflatable covering toward the patient. A portion of each thermal blanket is initially furled using a retaining device that prevents an inflating medium from inflating the furled portion. The non-furled portion of each thermal blanket is allowed to inflate and cover a patient. Prior to inflation, the furled portion of each thermal blanket defines a thermal blanket edge which demarcates an access area for a surgical procedure. When the retaining strip is removed, the furled portion is unfurled by action of the inflating medium and self erects into a continuation of the previously inflated non-furled portion of the thermal blanket to cover the surgical access site. A surgical drape may be placed over the tops of the thermal blankets in order to properly position each blanket on the patient, to maintain the temperature controlled medium proximate to the patient, and to perform the usual barrier functions of a drape. In the operation, a heater/blower that includes a compressor and a heater supplies heated air, under pressure, to an inlet opening in the one or more inflatable thermal blankets. The heated, pressurized air is distributed throughout each inflatable blanket, and flows to the patient through the apertures in the blanket's base sheet.