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.

Many are eager to discover why this equipment is crucial in transfusion procedures. Nonetheless, it would be wiser to first understand the dangers that come with transfusion. When you visit a hospital in the hope of undergoing a surgical procedure, you may want to confirm from the medical practitioners whether they will be using this device among many others that continue to make significant contributions towards successful transfusions.

When people donate blood, it goes to banks for storage, usually at very low temperatures. Patients who have experienced massive blood loss will require more pints to boost levels back to normal. Since what is being added is at a lower temperature than what the body can accommodate, it can easily lead to hypothermia. This medical condition is known to have a number of effects, some which could even harm the patient.

Hypothermia, however, is not a condition associated with all transfusions. Patients in need of only a few pints of blood are unlikely to suffer from hypothermia. There are cases however, where patients lose too much of their internal body fluids, such as during massive trauma. This calls for massive transfusions of fluids into the body of the patient, making warmers a useful equipment to avert hypothermia.

The use of medical equipment is restricted to trained practitioners only. For instance, in the case of warmers, medical practitioners need to be very keen on the temperatures not go beyond the normal levels. When this happens, hemolysis is definitely going. Transfusing already dead cells into the body of the patient is not something you may want to imagine. The consequences could be very severe.

Transfusion procedures are not just limited to fluid warmers. Medical practitioners also use different pressure infusion devices, such as cuffs. When using this device, it is important for the doctor to follow the guidelines provided by the manufacturer regarding the use of catheters, filters and ports. In cases where these instructions are not followed, catheter wall rapture may occur or even the rapture of vessels.

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.

From the foregoing, it should not come as a surprise that most regulatory agencies demand all medical facilities to comply with contemporary patient warming techniques. They go a long way towards enhancing clinical outcomes. Furthermore, patients often experience improved comfort during clinical procedures.




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