Surgical site infections and the use of forced-air warming devices during surgical procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Forced-air warming (FAW) is effective in preventing hypothermia, yet its impact on surgical site infections (SSI) remains debated. This systematic review synthesizes available evidence on the impact of FAW devices on SSI incidence among surgical patients. We searched CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, and CENTRAL databases. Fourteen included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized controlled trials, and observational studies comparing FAW devices to other warming methods or no warming in adult patients undergoing elective or emergency surgeries. The Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) tool was used for quality assessment, and a narrative synthesise and meta-analysis was performed. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis did not show a significant increase in SSI risk with FAW use. However, heterogeneity in study designs and small sample sizes limit the generalizability of findings. Future research should focus on larger, multicenter RCTs in diverse surgical settings and documenting patient characteristics and anaesthetic methods.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Liu, L.Q. and Mehigan, S. (2025), Surgical Site Infections and the Use of Forced-Air Warming Devices During Surgical Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. AORN J, 121: 438-448, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/aorn.14352 . This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited

Volume 121, Issue 6, Special Focus Issue: AORN Post‐Conference