A Chemical Heat Pack-Based Method For Consistent Heating of Intravenous Fluids

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Medical Devices
• Thermoregulation

Background:

• Cold intravenous fluids (IVF) can worsen hypothermia, a critical concern in prehospital and wilderness settings.
• Current guidelines recommend heated IVF, but effective portable heating systems are lacking for resource-limited environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a portable system for delivering warmed IVF at physiologically appropriate temperatures (40°-42°C).
• The system utilizes flameless ration heaters (FRH) and an insulated sleeve for consistent fluid warming across varying ambient conditions.

Main Methods:

• 0.9% normal saline (NS) 1-L bags were heated using a predetermined number of FRH based on ambient temperatures (3°C, 10°C, 20°C).
• Heated IVF was delivered through 280 cm of tubing at 77 mL/min, with internal and delivery temperatures recorded.

Main Results:

• In 3°C ambient conditions, IVF delivery temperature averaged 42.6°C.
• In 10°C ambient conditions, IVF delivery temperature averaged 45.2°C.
• In 20°C ambient conditions, IVF delivery temperature averaged 39.7°C, meeting the target range.

Conclusions:

• The FRH-based system effectively delivers warmed IVF at physiologically appropriate temperatures in 2 of 3 tested ambient conditions.
• This portable warming system offers a clinically beneficial solution for preventing and treating hypothermia in challenging environments.