Augmentation of the cooling capacity of refrigerated fluid by minimizing heat gain of the fluid using a simple method of cold insulation.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine how rapidly refrigerated fluids gain heat during bolus infusion and to determine whether the refrigerated fluids could be kept cold by a simple cold-insulation method.


METHODS
One liter of refrigerated fluid was run through either a 16-gauge catheter (16G(-) and 16G(+) groups) or an 18-gauge catheter (18G(-) and 18G(+) groups) while monitoring the temperature in the fluid bag and the outflow site. In the 16G(+) and the 18G(+) groups, the fluid bag was placed with an ice pack inside an insulating sleeve during the fluid run.


RESULTS
In the 16G(-) and the 18G(-) groups, the outflow temperature increased to 10-12 degrees C during the fluid run. Meanwhile, outflow temperatures in the 16G(+) and the 18G(+) groups remained below 4.6 and 6.8 degrees C, respectively. The temperatures differed significantly between the 16G(-) and the 16G(+) groups (p < 0.001) and between the 18G(-) and the 18G(+) groups (p < 0.001), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Substantial heat gain occurred in the refrigerated fluid even during the relatively short duration of bolus infusion. The heat gain could, however, be easily minimized by cold insulation of the fluid bag.
Lee
Byung Kook
BK
Department of Emergency Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Donggu, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Jeung
Kyung Woon
KW
Lee
Seung Cheol
SC
Min
Yong Il
YI
Ryu
Hyun Ho
HH
Kim
Mu Jin
MJ
Lee
Hyoung Youn
HY
Heo
Tag
T
D003080:Cold Temperature; D004356:Drug Storage; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000379:methods; D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D012034:Refrigeration; D000077325:Ringer's Lactate; D013997:Time Factors
D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D000077325:Ringer's Lactate