Peripheral arterial disease is one of the most common clinical conditions associated with
cardiovascular morbidity and increased mortality, requiring exercise, antiaggregant and
surgical revascularization therapy. As in peripheral arterial surgery, postoperative
hypothermia is common in patients who have undergone surgical intervention and the duration
of surgery is longer than 30 minutes due to the low temperature of the surgical environment
or the suppression of the thermoregulation center by anesthetics and sedatives. With
hypothermia, heat loss increases,peripheral vasoconstriction with activation of the
sympathetic system, impaired perfusion at the surgical wound site, hypoxemia, coagulopathy,
bleeding, postoperative pain, deterioration of thermal comfort, deterioration of patient
comfort and prolonged hospital stay are reported. Many heating methods are used to achieve
and maintain normal body temperature in the postoperative period, to prevent complications
caused by hypothermia.Aluminum-coated thermal blankets are especially preferred. In this way,
heat preservation, peripheral vasodilation and perfusion with the effect of temperature,
reduction of muscle spasm with increased endorphin release, less pain, and increased comfort
of the patient are provided. The thermal blanket is an easy-to-apply material that does not
require any tools or electricity for its effectiveness and can come into direct contact with
the patient's skin. It provides thermal insulation with its ability to reflect thermal
radiation. Peripheral vasodilation and decreased peripheral vascular resistance have been
observed with thermal therapy provided by thermal blankets. It is known that thermal blanket
methods are used to warm patients in practice. However, the lack of a literature study on the
regional effect of these applications on the patient has been noticed. For this purpose, in
this study, the regional efficacy of thermal blankets on the patient was evaluated in order
to reduce the narrowed arterial lumen and increased peripheral vascular resistance in
peripheral arterial diseases and to prevent the vasoconstrictive effect of hypothermia on
peripheral vessels. It was predicted that these blankets would maintain heat, increase tissue
perfusion with peripheral vasodilation effect, facilitate circulation, reduce pain and
facilitate mobilization.In line with this aim, the objectives are;
To increase peripheral tissue perfusion and decrease neurovascular damage by using
thermal blankets for heating after peripheral arterial surgery.
To reduce the degree of surgical wound site and ischemic pain by using thermal blankets
for warming after peripheral arterial surgery.
To increase the patient's postoperative mobility and mobilization by using thermal
blankets in peripheral artery postoperative warming.
To contribute to the control of pain, neurovascular follow-up and reduction of damage
and mobilization, which are the main nursing goals after surgery.
To increase the comfort of the patient by utilizing the heat insulation and flexible
effect of thermal blankets, thus providing an easy-to-apply, effective care in terms of
nursing and increasing the quality of health care service.
Research Design This study is a randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of a
thermal blanket applied to the area after peripheral arterial surgery on the patient's
circulation, pain and mobilization.
