Findings support a new “foundational warming” approach that complements ERAS initiatives and AORN Guidelines for patient temperature management

PITTSBURGH, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Xodus Medical today announced the results of a new observational clinical study demonstrating that 98% of evaluable surgical patients maintained normothermia at the conclusion of surgery when the Hot Pink Pad™ served as the foundational warming intervention throughout the intraoperative period. The study evaluated 104 surgical patients across 35 sites and found a mean case-close core temperature of 36.5°C, well within the accepted normothermic range.

The study introduces foundational warming—a clinical strategy in which active conductive warming begins immediately upon patient transfer to the operating room table and continues uninterrupted until transfer to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Additional warming interventions remain available whenever clinically indicated, allowing clinicians to individualize care while maintaining a continuous baseline of active warming.

“Maintaining normothermia is a cornerstone of modern perioperative care,” said Craig Kaforey, Chief Executive Officer of Xodus Medical. “This study demonstrates that integrating warming directly into the patient positioning surface creates a reliable foundation for temperature management while preserving the clinical flexibility providers need for every patient and procedure.”

Unlike conventional warming methods that often begin only after anesthesia induction, patient positioning, surgical preparation, and draping are complete, the Hot Pink Pad delivers active underbody warming immediately upon patient transfer to the operating table and continues warming throughout the patient’s time in the operating room. The result is more available warming time during the period when patients are most susceptible to perioperative heat loss.

The observational clinical evaluation included patients representing a broad spectrum of surgical specialties, ages, body sizes, and procedures. Across the final analysis population, 102 of 104 patients (98%) completed surgery within the clinically accepted normothermic range of 36.0°C to 38.0°C.

Importantly, the Hot Pink Pad served as the baseline warming intervention throughout every procedure, while clinicians retained complete discretion to incorporate supplemental warming measures—including forced-air warming, warmed intravenous fluids, passive warming blankets, and other interventions—as patient needs dictated. This flexibility reflects the study’s central conclusion: The Hot Pink Pad serves as an effective foundation for the contemporary normothermia bundle.

Kimberly Godawa, RN, MSN, CCRN, ERAS Coordinator, described the clinical value of this approach:

“The Hot Pink Pad helps patients return to their pre-op temperature more quickly, which greatly supports our ERAS program. It’s a welcome addition to our normothermia bundle.”

The study also concludes that foundational warming aligns naturally with contemporary Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) initiatives by making patient warming a continuous component of perioperative care rather than a delayed intervention. Patients who maintain normothermia with the Hot Pink Pad alone may require no additional warming modalities, while more complex cases can seamlessly incorporate supplemental warming without changing the underlying strategy.

“The significance of this study extends beyond the 98% normothermia achievement rate,” said Bob Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer at Xodus Medical. “At a time when inadvertent perioperative hypothermia remains a common challenge, integrating active warming directly into the positioning surface creates a solid foundation for patient temperature management—and ultimately a safer, more effective standard of care.”

The complete study, “Foundational Warming: The Hot Pink Pad™,” is now available from Xodus Medical (xodusmedical.com). It details the study methodology, patient population, clinical findings, and the role of foundational warming in supporting perioperative normothermia.

About Xodus Medical

Xodus Medical develops innovative patient positioning, pressure injury prevention, and perioperative temperature management technologies that help healthcare providers improve surgical safety and patient outcomes. Its portfolio includes the clinically trusted Pink Pad^® positioning system and the Hot Pink Pad™, which combines patient positioning with integrated active warming to support continuous perioperative normothermia.

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SOURCE Xodus Medical