Fluid Warmer for Liver Transplant Unit at KEM Hospital

The liver transplant unit at KEM Hospital is all set to get a full-time fluid warmer as a donation from the Rotary Club of Ulhasnagar, this Sunday. This fluid warmer helps to infuse blood and other fluids faster, about 1.5 liters of fluid per minute. It also prevents the formation of air bubbles. This will be a big boost for the unit as it had suspended liver transplants after the death of both the recipient and donor. The Club intended to do something for the unit after one of its member has successfully underwent a transplant last November. The unit had been hiring a fluid warmer. Head of surgical gastroenterology at KEM and in-charge of the liver transplant program, Dr. Chetan Kantharia said, "The warmer is crucial equipment in major surgeries, especially in liver transplants, as the body temperature of patients tends to decrease. The donation to our unit will really help our unit and the patients."

Professor and head of anesthesia at KEM Hospital, Dr. Madhu Garasia said, "In major surgeries, patients may lose a large amount of blood in a very short time. So we may need to administer blood or intra-venous fluids. But these are generally kept in very cold temperatures and thus cannot be administered directly to the body. The fluid warmer has a pump which warms the fluid first and then dispenses it to the body."

Source-Medindia