1. Without reference, identify principles about Blood Fluid Warmers with at least 70 percent accuracy.

2. Blood Fluid Warmers Purpose Body temperature
Used during various clinical procedures (mainly for surgeries) to raise the temperature of refrigerated and room temperature blood or IV fluids as they are infused into the patient
Body temperature
Normothermia – normal core body temperature
When dealing with a medical patient (surgically or clinically) normothermia is always important
If a patient is over or under normal temperature the body will strive for normothermia
This extra effort will take away from the body’s ability to heal
Hypothermia is the most frequent concern

3. Blood Fluid Warmers Negative effects of hypothermia
Cardiac arrhythmias – myocardial infarctions are the leading cause of unexpected death after otherwise routine surgery
Coagulopathy (prolonged or excessive bleeding) – caused by the body’s decreased release of coagulants
Decreased metabolism of numerous drugs causing slower recovery from anesthesia
Increased surgical recovery times and increased length of hospitalization
Increased risk of infection
Raising the temperature of blood or IV fluids before they are infused into a patient can significantly reduce the occurrence of hypothermia

4. Blood Fluid Warmers
In addition to hypothermia, infusion of fluid below normal body temperature can induce or aggravate physiologic conditions, such as cerebral perfusion
It is important to note that blood/fluid warmers only help to maintain normothermia
They generally do not transfer enough heat to significantly raise the body temperature
This means they cannot effectively re-warm patients who are already hypothermic
To significantly raise the body temperature of a patient other means, such as hypo/hyperthermia or BairHugger units must be used

5. Blood Fluid Warmers

6. Blood Fluid Warmers Use
Blood/fluid warmers are mainly used in surgery, but may also be used in other areas such as:
Emergency department
Intensive care unit
Some general patient care areas
Blood bank
Generally, blood/fluid warmers are setup and operated by either an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist before and during a surgical procedure

7. Blood Fluid Warmers
The decision to use a blood/fluid warmer and the correct type to use must be made by the clinician and includes the following variables:
Patient size and weight
Duration of the surgical procedure
Rate of infusion or the total volume of blood/fluid to be infused
Temperature of the blood/fluid to be infused
Availability of other patient-warming techniques
Clinician preference

8. Blood Fluid Warmers Types
Blood/fluid warmers are typically categorized by the method they use to warm blood/IV solutions
Most are in-line devices mounted on an IV pole. They warm the solution bag or infusion device and the patient line and can be used in conjunction with the primary types of infusion devices including
Gravity
Pressure
Pump

9. Blood Fluid Warmers
The two primary methods of heating blood or IV fluids are water bath and dry heat
Water bath
These units utilize a tank of warm water and special tubing
The tubing has an outer sheath in which warmed water from the tank is circulated
Blood or IV fluid passes through an inner tube, which runs between the sheath, and is warmed by the principle of conduction
Warmed blood or IV fluids are infused to the patient

10. Blood Fluid Warmers Dry heat plate Dry heat cassette
IV tubing is passed between two warming plates
Blood/fluid warming takes place through conduction between the plates and the fluids
Dry heat cassette
Blood or IV fluids pass through a special chamber or cartridge
The cassette/cartridge fits in-between two warming plates
The blood/fluids are warmed through conduction

11. Blood Fluid Warmers Advantages/disadvantages of each method Water bath
Provides precise and controlled warming of blood/fluids for a wide range of flow rates
Require special disposable tubing sets
Water from tank can be spilled
Dry heat plate
Generally only effective for heating blood/fluids infused at low rates
Do not provide rapid heating of blood/fluids
Do not require special tubing sets
Relatively simple devices

12. Blood Fluid Warmers Dry heat cassette
Provide rapid and accurate warming of blood/fluids for a wide range of flow rates
Require special tubing/cassette sets
In addition to the above units, there are some high-flow units that can both warm and deliver IV solutions/blood and are capable of warming and infusing fluids at higher rates than conventional blood/fluid warmers Blood/Fluid
All units have primary and secondary (backup) thermostatic or electronic controls to regulate temperature

13. Blood Fluid Warmers
All units have some type of circuitry that indicates the plate or water-bath temperature; however, the actual blood/solution temperature is not displayed
All units have an alarm circuit that terminate operation when an over-temperature condition occurs (usually slightly above 42°C – the point at which red blood cells are damaged)
Visual/audible alarm
Heater cutoff