The human body is a complex mechanism of several functionalities that work in correspondence to one another to achieve one common goal which is the proper functioning of the human body. The mechanisms are so strictly enforced that a little negligence or improper handling can cause drastic results and can be life-threatening. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to take care of every minute detail while treating the human body to ensure proper treatment and avoidance of complications. Blood is a highly significant resource in the human body which acts as a fuel for and helps to provide oxygen to different parts of the body. During surgeries and other medical treatments, patients are often given blood. But this blood is not just given as it is to the patients. This blood is warmed before transfusion to maintain normothermia (normal body temperature) and prevent hypothermia (low body temperature).
What is Hypothermia?
Symptoms of hypothermia
Hypothermia is a medical condition that is caused by prolonged exposure to cold climates. For surgical and physically traumatized patients, it is necessary to transfuse warm blood to the patients that can help prevent hypothermia. Hypothermia causes the heat in the body to lose faster than its production in the body and can cause a potential drop in the body temperature. Hypothermia can be fatal as it can cause complete failure of the heart and respiratory system and lead to the death of the patient. That is why it is important to warm blood before transfusion to surgical or physically traumatized patients.
3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming systems
3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming systems are specialized medical devices that are used to warm blood and other fluids before transfusion. These systems use smart heat technology to warm fluids and blood and help greatly in the prevention of hypothermia in surgical or physically traumatized patients. These systems provide the most accurate temperature that helps avoid overheating of blood or other fluids and promotes patient care. These blood and fluid warming systems come in a compact size to save space and include conductive warming plates to maximize heat transfer. These systems include temperature alarm indicators and built-in safety features that help in providing additional protection. These blood and fluid warming systems are often used in hospitals and other medical settings to provide warm blood to patients.
Components of the 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming systems
The 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming set
The 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming systems use smart heat technology to warm blood and other fluids before transfusion. The method of using these systems is fairly simple but should be monitored carefully by a medical expert. Before understanding the working of these systems, one should know the components of these blood and fluid warming systems. A 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming system includes the following components.
- Inlet line
- The blue inlet pinch clamp
- Fluid warming cassette
- Bubble trap
- Roller clamp
- Needleless injection port
- Luer connection
- White outlet pinch clamps
- Patient connector
How to use 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming systems
The following guidelines explain the working process of a 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming system.
- After adjusting the height of the system to the level of the patient’s height, the power cord should be plugged into a grounded outlet.
- After plugging in the power cord, the warming set pouch should be opened with the help of arrows that are indicated on it.
- To prevent leakage or loss of therapy, it must be ensured that all luer connections are securely tightened.
- Before priming, the fluid warming cassette should be inserted into the slot and the slot inlet line should be connected to the fluid source. Now, the entire tubing should be primed to purge air. Also, invert the bubble trap during priming and fill.
- The bubble trap should be placed right side up into the holder on the warming unit during the priming of the patient line.
- After priming the entire line, all the clamps should be closed and the warming unit should be turned on.
- The system has its normal operating set point of forty-one degrees celsius which reaches in less than two minutes.
- The sensors present in the 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming systems verify the temperature of the heating plates four times per second and display the temperature at the LED display present at the front of the system.
- The warming set should not be removed from the warming unit while in use.
- After making sure that the fluid lines are air free, the clamps between the injection port and the patient connection should be closed, and invert the bubble trap.
- Now insert a syringe in the injection port and aspirate the air until the bubble trap and IV line are air free. After placing the bubble trap right side up in the holder, open the clamp and continue the infusion.
- During the removal of the disposable set from the system, the inlet clamp must be closed. Now, open the outlet clamp distal to the cassette and let the fluid flow into the patient for two or three seconds and then close the outlet clamp.
- The fluid warming cassette should be removed from the warming unit and can be discarded according to the protocols of the institution.
- The medical devices include detailed instructions that help in the proper use of the device. These instructions should be read by the staff to ensure accurate use of the device.
Conclusion
The 3M™ Ranger™ blood and fluid warming systems are specialized medical devices that play an important role in patient treatment by providing warm blood according to the core body temperature. If blood is not warmed using these systems, it can cause hypothermia which can be fatal for surgical and physically traumatized patients. These systems use smart heat technology to warm blood and other fluids before transfusion which helps to avoid overheating. Apart from this, these systems include built-in safety features as well as temperature alarms that provide additional safety. Due to the significance of these systems in warming blood and other fluids for the treatment of patients, these systems have become a necessary part of medical treatment for surgeries and other treatments.
PhD Scholar (Pharmaceutics), MPhil (Pharmaceutics), Pharm D, B. Sc.
Uzma Zafar is a dedicated and highly motivated pharmaceutical professional currently pursuing her PhD in Pharmaceutics at the Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab. With a comprehensive academic and research background, Uzma has consistently excelled in her studies, securing first division throughout her educational journey.
Uzma’s passion for the pharmaceutical field is evident from her active engagement during her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) program, where she not only mastered industrial techniques and clinical case studies but also delved into marketing strategies and management skills.
