Using body weight as a pre-hospital fluid infusion device: the relationship between under-body position and flow rate.
This study was designed to identify the most effective underbody position when using the patient's own body weight as an infusion device. Twenty volunteers had an air-less 500 ml bag of saline located at various under-body positions. Mean pressures and flow rates through a 14G cannula were measured in vitro at room temperature. Locating the fluid bag at the buttock cleft delivered the highest mean flow rate at 135 ml/min. This underbody position may provide flow rates sufficient to achieve the clinical aim of fluid resuscitation in the military pre-hospital environment.
Tong
J L
JL
Military Reader in Anaesthesia, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. j.l.tong@bham.ac.uk
D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D055815:Young Adult