What are Bair Hugger blankets?

A large dog is sound asleep using the Bair Hugger system
while recovering.

Maybe you have seen them on the news, or, like me, you have a family member who just had surgery and were introduced in a hospital setting. The Bair Hugger. Sounds cozy - but what is it?

The Bair Hugger therapy temperature management system, a 3M product, uses forced warmed air to prevent hypothermia in surgical patients. It is also used to prevent and treat hypothermia for animals.

I liked what I saw in the hospital, but I was a little concerned because of some of the press and I had some questions of my own (as a youngster, I once experienced an electric blanket fire). I wanted to share what I found with others.




The basics:

• Bair Hugger uses forced-air warming to slowly distribute warm air across patients during various stages of surgery and recuperation to guarantee patient temperature control
• System comprised of Bair Hugger components and the "241 fluid warming system"
• There are 19 Bair Hugger disposable blanket models
• Each warming unit filters air to 0.2 microns and has four different temperature settings
• The warming units are modular and may be mounted affixed to a variety of hospital setting components or may be placed on the floor

In short, the Bair Hugger temperature management system may be used in pediatric, veterinary, and other specialized surgery settings, and is a helpful tool in preventing surgical complications.

Next, I will dive into the different systems.