Effectiveness of the "5 + 4" warm chain dynamic intervention in maternal temperature regulation and the incidence of postoperative complications after cesarean section.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the "5 + 4" warm chain dynamic intervention on maternal temperature regulation and the incidence of postoperative complications after a cesarean section.

Methods: A total of 108 patients scheduled for elective cesarean section between April 2022 and April 2024 were randomly assigned to either a conventional group, who received standard intraoperative thermal insulation, or an intervention group, which underwent the "5 + 4" warm chain dynamic intervention, with 54 participants in each group. Maternal temperature, heart rate, incidence of hypothermia, severity of shivering, perioperative indicators (postpartum hemorrhage volume, time to first flatus, time to first ambulation, anesthesia recovery time, and hospital stay), and the incidence of complications such as wound infection, fever, abdominal pain, and urinary retention were assessed at the following time points: upon entering the operating room (T₁), at the onset of anesthesia (T₂), at skin incision (T₃), after fetal delivery (T₄), and at the end of surgery (T₅).

Results: The body temperature of both groups demonstrated a decreasing trend from T₁-T₅, with the intervention group exhibiting significantly higher temperatures at T₃-T₅ compared to the conventional group (P < 0.05). The incidence of hypothermia was significantly lower in the intervention group (P < 0.05). Heart rate in both groups initially increased and subsequently decreased from T₁ to T₅, with the intervention group revealing significantly lower heart rates from T₂ to T₅ compared to the conventional group (P < 0.05). Postpartum blood loss was reduced in the intervention group, and both anesthesia recovery time and hospital stay duration were shorter compared to the conventional group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the groups in the severity or incidence of chills, time to first flatus, time to getting out of bed, or complication rates (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: The "5 + 4" warm-chain dynamic intervention effectively stabilizes body temperature and heart rate during the perioperative period of cesarean section, reduces the incidence of postoperative hypothermia, minimizes postpartum blood loss, and facilitates anesthesia recovery and postoperative rehabilitation.