[The heating effect of two infusion warmers]

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Thermoregulation

Background:

• Perioperative hypothermia is a significant concern, increasing risks for surgical patients.
• Infusion warmers are used to prevent hypothermia by increasing the temperature of intravenous fluids.
• The efficiency of infusion warmers varies, impacting their ability to maintain patient temperature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the performance of the Animec infusion warmer and the Fenwal infusion warmer.
• To evaluate the temperature increase and energy delivery capabilities of each device at different flow rates.
• To estimate the potential reduction in energy deficit when using these infusion warmers.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of two infusion warmer devices: Animec and Fenwal.
• Measurement of maximal temperature increase (°C) at specific fluid flow rates (ml/hour).
• Estimation of energy deficit compensation based on device performance and recommended flow rates.

Main Results:

• The Fenwal infusion warmer achieved a maximal temperature increase of 12.0°C at 1,527 ml/hour.
• The Animec infusion warmer achieved a maximal temperature increase of 8.9°C at 395 ml/hour.
• Significant differences in the capacity of the two warmers to compensate for perioperative energy deficits were observed.

Conclusions:

• Fluid warming effectiveness is dependent on both the infusion warmer's capacity and the fluid flow rate.
• The Fenwal infusion warmer demonstrated superior performance in increasing fluid temperature compared to the Animec warmer.
• Substantial variations exist in the ability of different infusion warmers to address perioperative energy deficits at standard flow rates.