Is it safe to use blanket warmers in the vehicles for warming IV fluids? I know that the infusion of ambient temperature (21°C) intravenous fluid may be a significant risk factor for severe hypothermia and the manufacturer of our IV fluids recommends a 40 °C for a max of 14 days. Do you know if this is being done anywhere effectively and safely and if so what are they using?

In hospital, commercial rapid transfuser pumps are used with fluid warmers for blood product and IV fluid administration to keep infusions normothermic to the patient.

You are correct that large volume IV fluid/blood product resuscitation can cause hypothermia. This can have deleterious effects on the patient, especially in the setting of hemorrhagic shock from trauma, wherein the resultant coagulopathy from hypothermia complicates hemorrhage control.

It would be important to check with your service and review equipment policies. Temperature controlled systems for medication storage are required to be tightly monitored and controlled.  Review what has been temperature- and equipment-tested in your service to ensure patient safety.

Cardiac/Circulation,Intravenous and Fluid Therapy

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