Frequently Asked Questions
Why is hypothermia such a problem?
What is Heat Treat?
How are Heat Treat medical warming blankets different from other active warming devices?
How do Heat Treat medical warming blankets generate warmth?
How are Heat Treat medical warming blankets designed?
What is “continuous thermal coverage”?
How are Heat Treat medical warming blankets used?
Are Heat Treat medical warming blankets a safe solution?
What are other advantages of Heat Treat medical warming blankets?
Why is hypothermia such a problem?
Hypothermia can cause serious problems for patients and providers, causing an increased risk of infection, prolonged emergence from anesthesia, bleeding, and cardiac morbidity. Complications can result in increased costs per surgical case from longer hospital stays; increased use of red blood cell, plasma and platelets; increased need for mechanical ventilation and cardiac intervention. Controlling a patient's core temperature will help ensure quality care and a safe experience for patients. In the future, hypothermia will be included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Pay-for-Performance (P4P) guidelines with the potential to impact reimbursement.
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What is Heat Treat?
Heat Treat is a disposable, air-activated medical warming blanket that provides a simple, safe, and efficient answer to maintaining patients' normal body temperature (normothermia) throughout the surgical experience. Designed by Mark Kyker, MD, an anesthesiologist, and Joe Vergona, a chemical engineer, Heat Treat medical warming blankets prevent the known complications of intra-operative hypothermia by providing consistent, active heating for up to 12 hours.
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How are Heat Treat medical warming blankets different from other active warming devices?
Heat Treat is a self-contained, self-heating, disposable medical warming blanket that does not require external power sources or blowers. Specifically designed for the surgical continuum (pre-, peri and post-operative periods), Heat Treat medical warming blankets are designed as a 5’ x 3.5’ surgical drape with 12 pockets that contain specially designed air-activated warmers. The innovative blanket is an efficient and unobtrusive approach to maintaining a patient's core body temperature as it eliminates the need for and cost of electrical energy and the noise found in traditional air-convection heaters (forced-air warmers). Heat Treat medical warming blankets have no hoses so there is no risk of “hosing” (2nd and 3rd degree burns caused when a hose makes direct skin contact) or of hospital-acquired infections resulting from bacteria cultured in hoses.
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How do Heat Treat medical warming blankets generate warmth?
Heat Treat medical warming blankets generate warmth using a chemical reaction resulting from the oxidation of iron. The components of the warmers are all natural—activated carbon, iron, water, and salt. There are no hazardous components. The chemical reaction can be stopped and restarted again. The warmers have been specifically designed to prevent folding or creasing during normal use (rucking).
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How are Heat Treat medical warming blankets designed?
A Heat Treat medical warming blanket is composed of three non-woven layers—a two-ply surgical drape and a single-ply pocket—to maximize heat retention and patient safety. Twelve specially designed pockets containing the warmers are positioned within the warming blanket to provide heat to the patient's body core. The blanket's warming action is activated when the package is opened and the blanket is exposed to air. Within 20 minutes, the Heat Treat medical warming blanket reaches its optimal temperature and can last up to 12 hours. The maximum temperature is 43 degrees Celsius. Thermographic studies demonstrate an average point temperature between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius. The Heat Treat medical warming blanket has been ergonomically designed to permit customized case-specific utilization.
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What is “Continuous Thermal Coverage”?
Another unique feature of Heat Treat medical warming blankets is that they provide Continuous Thermal Coverage (CTC™) during the entire surgical experience. Not only does the blanket provide important pre-warming for the patients, it eliminates the delays of coverage seen with air convection warmers that are usually not placed on patients until after anesthesia is induced. Since the pre-warming process is universally accepted to be important for the prevention of intra-operative hypothermia and core temperatures drop approximately 1.6 degrees Celsius upon induction of anesthesia, it is critical to have continuous temperature coverage throughout the patients’ perioperative experience. A Heat Treat medical warming blanket maintains it temperature for to 12 hours; its continuous coverage can usually follow patients into the recovery area and beyond.
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How are Heat Treat medical warming blankets used?
Heat Treat medical warming blanket is used just like other surgical blankets and is intended to accompany the patient throughout the pre-, intra- and post-operative portions of surgery. Ideally, the package containing the blanket should be opened 20 minutes before use to start the reaction that naturally heats the blanket. Typically this is done in the pre-operative area. Once fully heated, the Heat Treat medical warming blanket is placed on the patient. Patients should not lie on top of a Heat Treat warming medical blanket. Used blankets can be disposed of in standard trash receptacles.
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Are Heat Treat medical warming blankets a safe solution?
Heat Treat medical warming blankets are designed as a safe, reliable solution for patients and caregivers. Warmers employing Heat Treat's technology have been safely utilized in the general marketplace for decades when used as directed. Heat Treat medical warming blankets contain no hazardous components; the warming action is the result of a natural chemical reaction between activated carbon, iron, water, and salt. In the rare case when a warmer might be perforated, water exposure will deactivate the chemical reaction with no consequence except to discontinue the warming action. Even though the chemical reaction that heats the blanket is more rapid in an environment with an increased percentage of oxygen, Heat Treat medical warming blankets are designed to heat to a maximum of 43 degrees Celsius. Heat Treat medical warming blankets are intended as a surgical drape; patients should not lie on top of it. A burn may occur if a warmer pack becomes perforated and the contents of an activated warmer touch the skin.
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What are other advantages of Heat Treat medical warming blankets?
Heat Treat medical warming blankets are a cost efficient, disposable solution. Unlike cotton blankets, which must be laundered after each use, these are disposable blankets designed for single use. This helps reduce labor, laundry and handling costs.
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