Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Some Information On Reusable Blood Warmer

By Rosella Campbell


Blood warming is a standard practice in the medical field nowadays. This is given by the fact that this red liquid is kept refrigerated in storage, probably in a reusable blood warmer, until is needed to be used in transfusion. These warmers are recommended in these situations as well as in some others. Medical staff should take the specific medical need of the patient into consideration, and also adapt to conditions and outside factors when starting the transfusion.

It is appropriate to use warming equipments for transfusions in situations of resuscitation when quick transfusions are needed. Administrating this vital fluid that is too cold can induce hypothermia in a patient. It is highly recommendable to avoid this kind of situation as much as possible.

A warming device is also needed when transfusing this life-saving fluid to patients that have cold agglutinins disease. It's also required if the patient is a newborn, special care and consideration should be taken for the delicate nature of the body. The same attention must be made to patients with high risk of cardiac dysfunction, geriatric, or pediatric patients.

Patients that have cold agglutinins also need transfusions with warm blood. In cases that involve neonates, treatment with special care should be considered by the medical staff as well. Patients that might be have high risk of cardiac dysfunction from transfusions, as well as children or elderly patients, should benefit of the same amount of attention and extra care as patients previously mentioned.

Just as cold blood may cause complications, overly hot forms can also be dangerous to the patient. Therefore, every time these devices are used, medical staff must write down what operating temperature the device displays.

Warming equipment has several extra advantages. It can warm both this red liquid and IV fluids, making it a diverse tool used for multi-purpose medical use. The device can reach temperatures of 38 degree celsius with a flow rate of ~2-150 mL/min, and the heater is adjusted automatically when needed. They can also increase the fluid's temperature by 10 degree celsius, having a flow rate of 40 mL/min.

Maintenance for devices is mandatory for every 12 months, and the process has to be carefully monitored. These devices can lead to extremely dangerous situations if they malfunction. The blood bank should be informed immediately if the temperature this vital fluid exceeds 41 degree celsius.

Places like blood banks should be informed immediately if the temperature of this vital fluid is higher than 41 degree celsius. The devices can also be found in ASCU, theatres, special care nurseries, maternal/fetal medicine, 6B nurseries, and 6D PICU. They are all places where there can be no chance of malfunction.

Professional warming devices can process all sorts of standard infusions. A backup battery is included, and the devices are portable and light-weight. Completing setup takes about 45 seconds, and they are to be disposed when the transfusion is over.

Nowadays, the medical staff can use disposable fluid warmers (blood and IV fluids), all thanks to technology which has evolved immensely in the medical industry. Thermiflow fluid warmers, the most recently developed disposable devices, are self-powered medical machines. They are activated automatically when exposed to the atmospheric air, and can offer changes in temperature of 10 degree celsius with a 40 mL/min flow rate.




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