Importance

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Abstract

A fluid warming device for warming blood and other fluids prior to introduction into a patient. The counterflow fluid bags utilize a flat counter flow pathway which provides high flow performance and ensuring uniform, gradual and energy efficient blood warming. The warming device contains a pair of opposed, identical heater elements. The guide rails of the bag align the counter flow passageway for the fluid so that the bag is spaced and located precisely between the heater elements. The heater is provided with a receptive slot down the middle, in a horizontal plane, with two different sized guide slots, one on each side of the receptive slot. A pair of guide rails, integrated into the sides of the bag, are parallel to one another providing sufficient rigidity for easy insertion of the bag, and being sized to allow easy insertion in only the correct orientation. The blood warmer preferably incorporates a microprocessor for precise control of the electric current provided to the heater. Fluid temperature is measured by contact of a RTD sensor with a thin dielectric surface layer in contact with the bag and located proximal to the fluid outlet. By monitoring the temperature of the fluid at the outlet of the bag, the temperature controller can compute and provide a visual display of the fluid temperature. In one embodiment, the sensed output temperature is an input parameter to the controller of the heater elements. The device efficiently warms the fluid to about 37.5.degree. C. for anticipated input to a human and, yet, prevents the fluid from exceeding 42.degree. C.

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First Claim