Guidelines And Tips On Reusable Blood Warmer

By Rosella Campbell


Blood warming is a highly sought after practice, especially since this red liquid is kept refrigerated in storage until it's needed for transfusion. When patients needs very rapid transfusions during resuscitation, administration of ice-cold ones could induce hypothermia, this is where a reusable blood warmer will come in as handy. Therefore, these methods are pivotal to successfully fulfill patients' needs.

Medical staff should use warming devices when the volume intended for transfusion measures at 25% of the required amount of the patient's body. In many cases, medical professionals may be required to quickly administer a large number of units of this red liquid, and the temperature in these mass transfusions must be adequate to safely be transfused into the body.

If the volume to be administrated exceeds 25%, medical staff should use the warming device prior to transfusion. It is highly probable that more units might be needed in such situations, and using the device will aid the fast transfusions required.

Cases when patients have cold agglutinins also require transfusions with warmed blood. The medical staff should also consider treatment with special care in situations involving neonates. Patients that have high risk of heart problems, children, or elderly patients should also be taken care of with the same special attention or even more when they need transfusions.

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 is mandatory every 12 months, and it must be carefully monitored. If malfunctions occur, the devices can become extremely dangerous. If the temperature of this vital fluid exceeds 41 degree celsius, the medical staff should immediately inform the blood bank.

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.

All sets of standard infusion can be processed by professional warming devices. They offer a backup battery, light-weight, and portable. It takes about 45 seconds to complete the setup, and they are disposable when the job is completed.

The technology in the medical industry has evolved greatly, and now the disposable fluid warmer (blood and IV fluid) can be readily used by medical staff. These disposable warming fluids and blood devices, also referred to as thermiflow, are self-powered. Thermiflow devices can be automatically activated when exposed to the atmospheric air, and can offer a temperature increment of 10 degree celsius with a flow rate of 40 mL/min.




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