Rapid Heating of Fluids for Robotic Surgery

Abstract

Many rural hospitals lack the infrastructure to support large stocks of pre-warmed intravenous (IV) fluids for invasive medical procedures, and as a result require an alternative solution to produce the needed stock in a short amount of time. ThermaMed Industries is committed to creating a solution for the rapid heating of IV fluid to increase accessibility and decrease financial burden among rural communities. When designing our device, we prioritized three metrics: (1) rapid heating rate of 10℃ in 10 seconds, (2) power usage <1500 W, and (3) maintain sterility. We utilize silicone heating pads as the source of heat transfer to aluminum plates. The polyethylene tubing snakes back and forth between two aluminum plates to increase surface area contact, resulting in increased heat transfer. A pump is integrated to regulate the flow rate of the fluid and ensure adequate heat transfer. Since most procedures that require heated fluids use it as a means of irrigating/flushing the patient, the IV fluid is deposited in a sterile, heated basin available in most operating rooms to maintain the temperature after passing through our device. The main components are aluminum plates, polyethylene tubing, and an arduino circuit. It will be 30.5cm x 30.5cm x 7.6cm and have an associated manufacturing cost of approximately $468.20. At ThermaMed industries, we hope to create a more efficient medical experience for professionals and their patients and we keep this goal in mind throughout every stage of the development process.

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