title: In vitro comparison of output fluid temperatures for room temperature and prewarmed fluids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if prewarmed intravenous fluids produce superior fluid output temperatures compared with room temperature fluids at common anaesthetic fluid rates for small animal patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, randomised, in vitro fluid line test-vein study was performed. Nine flow rates were analysed (10, 20, 60, 100, 140, 180, 220, 260 and 300 mL/hour) for room temperature fluids (21°C) and for five prewarmed fluids (40, 45, 50, 55 and 60°C).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For each flow rate tested, room temperature fluids never exceeded 25°C at any time point for each trial (range 18 to 25°C). For each flow rate tested, prewarmed fluids never exceeded 25 · 5°C at any time point for each trial (range 18 to 25 · 5°C). The mean output fluid temperature of prewarmed fluids was significantly warmer than room temperature fluids only at 300 mL/hour for 40°C (P = 0 · 0012), 45°C (P = 0 · 004), 50°C (P = 0 · 0002), 55°C (P = 0 · 0001) and 60°C (P < 0 · 0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no thermodynamic benefit to utilising prewarmed intravenous fluids (up to 60°C) compared with room temperature intravenous fluids at common anaesthetic fluid rates for small animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Towle Millard
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Weng
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D066298:In Vitro Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013696:Temperature