Learn More About Reusable Blood Warmer

By Margaret Snyder


Generally, when you donate blood and is not transfused to a patient at that time, it has to be stored in a refrigerator so as to enhance its life. Obvious, the temperature in a refrigerator is far much below the normal body blood temperature. It happens that this ice-cold fluid is transfused into the body system, conditions like hyperthermia, arrhythmias, and shock are likely to occur. That is why reusable blood warmer are used so as to provide the fluid with the necessary and appropriate temperature before being incorporated into the body.

They are classified in three categories following the technology or technique used to provide heat. They include dry heat that uses hot air, water bath devices that use hot water as a heating medium and lastly the countercurrent machines which use electric power to provide heating. The process of raising the temperature is usually done in the cabinets before being transfused into the patient or in line during the transfusion activity.

However, they are made without the ability to maintain or retain temperature. Once they make the fluid reach the set temperature, they cannot maintain that range until restarted. That is why, when the device accomplishes the goal, that is raising the temperature to around 37 degrees Celsius, it is now taken into the patient body. If this is not done, the fluid is likely going to lower the temperature again.

Nevertheless, they are able to provide heat and warmth to this fluid without affecting the functioning and structure of living cells like white and red blood cells as well as other cells. These devices are therefore important and are usually used during transfusion of large amounts of blood such as half or above half of the whole body volume. They also play important role in providing the necessary temperature when transfusion is to be done in a rapid manner.

However, it is important to have certain specific considerations before administering the procedure to patients who are elderly, pediatric, neonates, as well as those with chronic infections and cardiac dysfunction. However, the device should be operating before the entire exercise begins. One of the reasons being that it cannot be switched on, at the same time, it is has provided the required temperature.

These devices are advantageous since the patients can acquire the body temperature which is necessary and the side effects such as the cold or low temperature get eradicated. Moreover, you do not have to dispose of the device together with the storage and bags. You can use again and again. You only need to fix the device in a body, or a bag in case of countercurrent and then switch it on and start operating.

However, it has certain limitations such as failure or temperature maintain technology. It can only prevent loss of heat by active warming but does not have a way in which the patient can be kept warm. That is why other methods like warming, water, blankets as well as pads can be used as another way or remedy to conditions like hypothermia.

They are not effective in providing warmth as other ways like using hot water baths, blankets, and pads do better than them in reducing hypothermia. However, their use cannot be compared with cold transfusions.




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