Reasons Why Blood Warmer Cuff Is Requisite During Transfusions

By Mark Cooper


If you or someone you know is about to be added some pints of body fluid, there may be nothing to worry about since the procedure is largely considered to be safe. In the past however, when the blood warmer cuff and many other medical devices had not been introduced, transfusion was a very subtle procedure. These devices continue to do a perfect job at minimizing most risks associated with transfusion.

Before getting to understand the importance of the above mentioned device, you may want to discover some of the risks that come with transfusion of blood. This will go a long way towards helping you internalize why this device is a must have for your procedures. This is in the wake of several cases of unqualified doctors performing highly delicate procedures. Once you understand this, be sure to ask your doctor whether they use these devices.

The body fluid you donate is usually stored at very low temperatures in banks. This is to avoid rupturing of cells, which will make the stored product useless. Patients who require transfusion at high volumes are most likely to be affected by the cold temperatures of the stored products. This condition is known to lower normal body temperatures to levels that are potentially harmful to the body.

It is for this reason that doctors resorted to using warmers to raise the temperature of blood. The device heats fluids before they are transfused to the patient. It should be noted that doctors must first conduct tests to determine whether the transfusion of cold fluids could harm the patient. Massive trauma is one of the cases that are likely to necessitate large transfusions.

It is important however, that when warming blood, temperatures should be checked to avoid hemolysis. This is where red cells are destroyed before reaching their normal lifespan. Such a condition would be counterproductive to the transfusion procedure. Once these red cells are destroyed, it would be useless trying to carry out a transfusion since the patient would only be receiving cytoplasm and plasma.

The department of fluid transfusions uses a number of other devices. One among them are pressure infusion devices. They help to regulate the flow of blood in accordance to the pressure in the vessels. Using these devices calls for utmost precision, including strict adherence to the guidelines of the manufacturer. This helps to avert the rapture of catheter walls and blood vessels during transfusion.

One of the best things about these medical devices is that they are generally known to improve clinical results for patients. Imagine you are a patient that has been diagnosed with hypothermia after a medical procedure, you may just end up staying longer at the facility than the doctors had projected. This will eventually lead to accumulated bills. You do not however, have to worry about this because of superior medical equipment.

Patient warming practices are used in surgery centers, clinics and hospitals to improve the comfort of the patient and clinical outcomes. However, this is also one of the policies set by regulatory agencies, which doctors have to comply with. All the same, their use has more advantages than their disadvantages.




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