The Association of Anaesthetists recently published a study entitled ‘Aluminium release by coated and uncoated fluid warming devices’, which highlighted the risk of aluminium absorption from uncoated fluid warming devices.The 37Company’s Fluido Compact blood and fluid warmer, available in the UK from Central Medical Supplies (CMS), is a coated device.
The study concludes: ‘Coating for aluminium within medical devices in direct contact with infusion fluids should be recommended.’ The study evaluated two fluid warming systems, one uncoated and one coated, and found that potentially unacceptably high levels of aluminium are created when fluids are passed through an uncoated warming device.
Following these results, the Association of Anaesthetists recommends all aluminium components of fluid warming systems that are in direct contact with infusion fluids should be coated. Biocompatible coatings, such as Parylene, are used in some devices to avoid direct contact between aluminium and fluid. All aluminium parts of the Fluido Compact system, which are in direct contact with the infusion and irrigation fluids, are Parylene coated, in line with the recommendations.
The device is said to be an easy to use, accurate, safe and cost effective system for daily blood and fluid warming. The system rapidly warms fluids to the target temperature, and it has a one button operation and intuitive control panel. The disposable set comprises of a cassette, a 40cm patient line and priming volume of 3 ml. The system provides accurate and safe warming, as it comes with embedded software for maximum patient safety through an independent control system and multiple temperature sensors. As it requires no maintenance, Fluido Compact is designed to be a cost effective system.
