Rapid infusion systems

Introduction

• Rapid infusion of fluids and blood products can be a life-saving intervention in patients dealing with hypotension and hemorrhagic shock.

Rapid Infusion Methods

• Infusion Pumps: Commonly used in acute care. Maximum flow rate of 1000 mL/h.
• Gravity: Fluid flow is determined by multiple factors, including luminal flow, length of the tube and where it is positioned.
• Pressure Bag: Applying a form of pressure to the bag can increase flow rate, but often not substantially.
• "Push- pull technique": Manual syringe infusion typically used in pediatric patients using a syringe and three-way stopcock.

Traditional Rapid Infuser:

• LifeFlow PLUS: A hand-operated rapid infuser that allows clinicians to rapidly deliver blood, blood components, crystalloids or colloid fluids to critically ill patients requiring volume resuscitation.

Applications of Rapid Infusion

Some applications include: sepsis, trauma, hypotension/shock, EMS, military and pediatric.

● Sepsis: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that results from the body’s overwhelming response to infection and affects millions of patients. LifeFlow rapid transfusion delivers, on average, 500 mL of fluid in less than 2.5 minutes through a 20g IV catheter. This allows for fluid to be replaced in patients in critical condition. Rapid infusion reduces sepsis complications and can save lives and significantly reduce hospital expenses

● Trauma: In patients with severe hemorrhage, every minute of resuscitation delay increases mortality. This is particularly true for traumatic brain injury patients. Standard methods of blood infusion are often too slow, particularly when vascular access is limited to smaller-gauge IV’s or IO. In-line warmers create additional resistance that may further slow infusion speed.

● Hypotension/ Shock: Shock requires immediate diagnosis and treatment, as symptoms can worsen quickly and permanent injury or death can result. Treatment protocols call for early, rapid, and controlled administration of fluids.

● EMS: Emergency transfusions is starting to become available in some ground and air emergency transport,

● Pediatric: In children with decompensated shock from conditions such as hypovolemia, sepsis, hemorrhage, and anaphylaxis, rapid restoration of intravascular volume is required to correct hypotension and reverse shock. PALS guidelines specifically note that “early recognition and rapid intervention are critical to halting the progression from compensated shock to hypotensive shock to cardiopulmonary failure and cardiac arrest.”

See Also

• Rapid infusion catheter

External Links

https://410medical.com/

References

• Piehl, M., Park, C.W. When Minutes Matter: Rapid Infusion in Emergency Care. Curr Emerg Hosp Med Rep 9, 116–125 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-021-00237-6