ArticlePloS one2019
Effects of a hot ambient operating theatre on manual dexterity, psychological and physiological parameters in staff during a simulated burn surgery.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Healthcare workers hydration status and performance: a scoping review.Frontiers in health services · 2026Pooled it
- Impact of environmental factors on operative team performance: systematic review and guidance for optimising clinical practice.Surgical endoscopy · 2025Pooled it
- Impact of dehydration on laparoscopic performance: a prospective, open-label, randomized cross-over trial.Surgical endoscopy · 2024Trial
- Effect of cold and warm water ingestion on physiological and performance parameters during simulated hot burn surgeries.Temperature (Austin, Tex.) · 2025Article
- Living in Western Australia induces some physiological adaptations of seasonal acclimatisation in the surgical burns team.Temperature (Austin, Tex.) · 2024Article
- Review
- Comparing thermal strain in outdoor maintenance and indoor service workers in the mining industry during summer.PloS one · 2023Article
- Study on thermal health and its safety management mode for the working environment.Frontiers in public health · 2023Review
- Impact of living and working in the heat on cognitive and psycho-physiological responses in outdoor fly-in fly-out tradesmen: a mining industry study.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Article
- Article
- Seasonal influence on cognitive and psycho-physiological responses to a single 11-h day of work in outdoor mine industry workers.Temperature (Austin, Tex.) · 2023Article
- Building sustainable and resilient surgical systems: A narrative review of opportunities to integrate climate change into national surgical planning in the Western Pacific region.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2022Review
- Analysis of body heat tolerance of workers in a simulated warm environment based on linear mixed model.PloS one · 2022Article
- A descriptive survey of operating theatre and intensive care unit temperature management of burn patients in the United Kingdom.International journal of burns and trauma · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesHot environmental conditions can result in a high core-temperature and dehydration which can impair physical and cognitive performance. This study aimed to assess the effects of a hot operating theatre on various performance, physiological and psychological parameters in staff during a simulated burn surgery.
methodsDue to varying activity levels, surgery staff were allocated to either an Active (n = 9) or Less-Active (n = 8) subgroup, with both subgroups performing two simulated burn surgery trials (CONTROL: ambient conditions; 23±0.2°C, 35.8±1.2% RH and HOT: 34±0°C, 28.3±1.9% RH; 150 min duration for each trial), using a crossover design with four weeks between trials. Manual dexterity, core-temperature, heart-rate, sweat-loss, thermal sensation and alertness were assessed at various time points during surgery.
resultsPre-trials, 13/17 participants were mildly-significantly dehydrated (HOT) while 12/17 participants were mildly-significantly dehydrated (CONTROL). There were no significant differences in manual dexterity scores between trials, however there was a tendency for scores to be lower/impaired during HOT (both subgroups) compared to CONTROL, at various time-points (Cohen's d = -0.74 to -0.50). Furthermore, alertness scores tended to be higher/better in HOT (Active subgroup only) for most time-points (p = 0.06) compared to CONTROL, while core-temperature and heart-rate were higher in HOT either overall (Active; p<0.05) or at numerous time points (Less-Active; p<0.05). Finally, sweat-loss and thermal sensation were greater/higher in HOT for both subgroups (p<0.05).
conclusionsA hot operating theatre resulted in significantly higher core-temperature, heart-rate, thermal sensation and sweat-loss in staff. There was also a tendency for slight impairment in manual dexterity, while alertness improved. A longer, real-life surgery is likely to further increase physiological variables assessed here and in turn affect optimal performance/outcomes.
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Registered trials
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