title: In vitro comparison of heated saline-blood admixture with a heat exchanger for rapid warming of red blood cells.
abstract: We compared the rapidity of rewarming and infusing red blood cells (RBCs) mixed with 24 degrees C, 50 degrees C, and 60 degrees C saline with the rapidity of administering undiluted RBCs through a heat exchanger. We measured flow rate, final temperature, and hemolysis in matched 41-45-day-old pooled AS-1 RBCs infused through high-flow tubing via a 14-gauge catheter under the influence of gravity. Undiluted RBCs were tested as controls. The final temperature of the 60 degrees C admixture technique was lower than that with the heat exchanger (28.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C vs. 32.7 +/- 0.2 degrees C), but the flow rate was higher (258 +/- 8 mL/min vs. 61 +/- 4 mL/min). Admixture with 60 degrees C saline resulted in no increase in hemolysis. This technique appears to be a simple, inexpensive method for rapid rewarming and infusion of RBCs and may be valuable for administration of RBCs simultaneously through multiple sites during resuscitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohn
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Stack
mesh_terms: D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000295:instrumentation; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017694:Rewarming / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012449:Safety; D012965:Sodium Chloride
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride