A standard infusion set is inserted into the green heating profile of the Barkey S-line and heated in it. Blood and blood products as well as infusion solutions are gently warmed up to the patient. The warming device works with a fixed set temperature, whereby flow rates of up to 25 ml per minute can be achieved, which reach the patient warmly.

Hypothermia is defined as a drop in the body core temperature to 36°C or lower and occurs in 50-90% of all operated patients^[1]. Causes of hypothermia can be cold ambient temperatures, cold operating tables, lack of prewarming, anesthetic drugs as well as unheated infusion solutions or blood products. Blood transfusions at approx. 4°C and/or unheated infusion solutions reduce the body core temperature by approx. 0.25°C/ unit^[2]. Already in the first hour of an operation, the body core temperature can drop by 1.6°C – among other things, anesthetic drugs unheated liquids such as blood or infusions are partly responsible^[3]. Especially in sedated patients the maintenance of normothermia is therefore essential, as thermoregulation is inhibited due to a hypothalamus disorder^[4]. The body reacts with an expansion of the veins, whereby warm blood flows from the core of the body into the periphery of the body. This leads to a further drop in the body core temperature^[5].

The effects of hypothermia are slower wound healing of the patient, longer hospital stays, which negatively affects the hospital budget and longer and more expensive drug treatment^[6],[7].

Blood and infusion warmer, such as the Barkey S-line, are therefore recommended to keep the patient at a temperature around 37°C before, during and after surgery^[8],[9],[10]. Since blood and infusion warmers are only one component in maintaining a normothermic core body temperature, you will find further Barkey products here to avoid hypothermia.

[1] Young, V.L., Watson, M.E. (2006): Prevention of perioperative hypothermia in plastic surgery, in: Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Vol. 26, No. 5, S. 552 f.

[2] Sessler, D.I. (1997): Mild perioperative hypothermia, in: The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 336, No. 24, S. 1735

[3] Sessler, D.I. (2000): Perioperative heat balance, in: Anesthesiology, Vol. 92, No. 2, S. 580

[4] Sessler, D.I. (1997): Mild perioperative hypothermia, in: The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 336, No. 24, S. 1731

[5] Sessler, D.I. (1997): Mild perioperative hypothermia, in: The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 336, No. 24, S. 1732

[6] Sessler, D.I. (1997): Mild perioperative hypothermia, in: The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 336, No. 24, S. 1734

[7] Kurz, A., Sessler, D.I., Lenhardt, R. (1996): Perioperative normothermia to reduce the incidence of surgical-wound infection and shorten hospitalization, in: The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 334, No. 19, S. 1209 f.

[8] American Society of Peri Anesthesia Nurses (2001): Clinical guideline for the prevention of unplanned perioperative hypothermia, in: Journal of Peri Anesthesia Nursing, Vol. 16, Issue 5, S. 305 ff.

[9] Sessler, D.I. (1997): Mild perioperative hypothermia, in: The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 336, No. 24, S. 1735

[10] National Collaborating Center for Nurses and Supportive Care commissioned (NCCNSC) by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2008): Clinical practical guideline – The management of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia in adults, S. 501 ff.

Using the Barkey S-line is very easy. After attaching the device to an infusion stand or a standard rail, first touch the central touch button to switch on the device. After that the device is immediately ready for use. A standard infusion set (1.5m long, 5mm diameter) can be inserted into the green heating profile. The central display of the Barkey S-line shows the temperature of the heating profile. The Barkey S-line does not require the use of additional disposable articles.

Due to the preset temperature of the device, the Barkey S-line is fast, safe and reliable in use.

Not only the handling is very easy, but also the service and maintenance. The Barkey S-line is not subject to service and therefore does not require an annual safety inspection. Should you still have any questions about the Barkey S-line, the Barkey Service Team and our sales partners abroad will be happy to help you.

The contact details of our service team can be found here.