Warming patients before clean surgery reduced the incidence of postoperative wound infection.

Intervention Patients were allocated to local warming (n=141), systemic warming (n=139), or standard treatment (n=141). All patients were given standard preoperative care. In addition, patients in the local warming group received > 30 minutes of preoperative warming to the planned wound area using a non-contact radiant heat dressing, whereas patients in the systemic warming group received > 30 minutes of preoperative warming to the whole body using a forced air warming blanket. Patients in the standard treatment group did not receive any active temperature control.