The effect of the Belmont rapid infuser on cold stored whole blood coagulability.

INTRODUCTION: With the large-scale use of whole blood in massive transfusion using rapid infusers/fluid warmers such as the Belmont, questions remain as to whether coagulation potency, platelet number and function are preserved.  We aimed to study functional coagulation capacity and cell counts in whole blood before and after infusion through the Belmont rapid infuser utilizing TEG analysis and complete blood counts. METHODS: We evaluated 10 whole blood units before and after infusion through a Belmont Fluid Management System at a set rate of 200 mL/min and a temperature of 37.4 °C.  Cell counts and thromboelastography function of the specimens were measured. Parameters were compared utilizing paired Student's t-tests and paired Wilcoxon Rank Sign tests. RESULTS: Platelet count, R time, and Maximum amplitude showed significant decreases (defined as p<0.05) after being infused through the Belmont. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, and alpha angle were not statistically different before and after infusion. CONCLUSION: Infusion of cold stored whole blood in a Belmont infuser, appeared to decrease platelet counts and function as well as activate clotting factors as demonstrated by a shorter R time while not affecting red cell counts or fibrin cross-linking as measured by TEG parameters and cell counts. This suggests that while it is possible to transfuse whole blood through a rapid infuser, platelet quantity and function may be negatively impacted.

CRISIS ventilator: A 3D printed option for ventilator surge in mass respiratory pandemics.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic revealed flaws in the stockpiling and distribution of ventilators. In this study, we assessed the durability, sterilizability, and performance of a 3D-printed ventilator. METHODS: SLS-printed devices were dropped from 1.83 m and autoclaved before evaluation on a COVID-19 simulated patient. The respiratory performance of an extrusion-printed device was studied using a variable compliance model. Ranges of sustainable respiratory rates were evaluated as a function of tidal volume. RESULTS: Autoclaving and dropping the device did not negatively impact minute ventilation or PIP for sustained ventilation. Equivalence was significant across all measures except for comparing the autoclaved and dropped with p = 0.06. Extrusion produced ventilators achieved minute ventilation ranging from 4.1 to 12.2 L/min for all simulated compliances; there was an inverse correlation between tidal volume and respiratory rate. CONCLUSION: The CRISIS ventilator is a durable, sterilizable, and reusable 3D-printed ventilator using off-the-shelf materials which could be employed variety of adult lung diseases. Further in-vivo testing is needed.

The use of percutaneous-endoscopic rendezvous stenting in a patient with bile duct injury after cholecystectomy-and a unique complication requiring secondary endoscopic intervention.

Bile duct injury (BDI) is a potentially devastating complication after cholecystectomy. Familiarity with the diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment options is imperative. This report highlights the utility of the rendezvous stenting procedure in a high-risk patient and describes a rare complication involving stent misplacement through the surgical drain. This is a 96-year-old female patient who suffered a Strasburg Class D injury during cholecystectomy, repaired over a T-tube. The T-tube dislodged postoperatively. Endoscopic and transhepatic stenting attempts were unsuccessful. Ultimately, a rendezvous approach allowed successful deployment of a covered metal stent. The stent was inadvertently deployed through a side fenestration of a surgical drain and was explanted upon drain removal. Repeat endoscopic stent placement was successful. The patient recovered without further complication. Surgical drains near the BDI can become sources of unexpected complications. A higher index of suspicion and careful interpretation of procedural imaging studies may prevent this complication.

Three-Dimensional Printed Ventilators: A Rapid Solution to Coronavirus Disease 2019-Induced Supply-Chain Shortages.

OBJECTIVE: To examine rapidly emerging ventilator technologies during coronavirus disease 2019 and highlight the role of CRISIS, a novel 3D printed solution. DATA SOURCES: Published articles, literature, and government guidelines that describe and review emergency use ventilator technologies. STUDY SELECTION: Literature was chosen from peer-reviewed journals and articles were limited to recent publications. DATA EXTRACTION: All information regarding ventilator technology was extracted from primary sources. DATA SYNTHESIS: Analysis of technology and relevance to coronavirus disease 2019 physiology was collectively synthesized by all authors. CONCLUSIONS: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has placed massive stress on global supply chains for ventilators due to the critical damage the virus causes to lung function. There is an urgent need to increase supply, as hospitals become inundated with patients requiring intensive respiratory support. Coalitions across the United States have formed in order to create new devices that can be manufactured quickly, with minimal resources, and provide consistent and safe respiratory support. Due to threats to public health and the vulnerability of the U.S. population, the Food and Drug Administration released Emergency Use Authorizations for new or repurposed devices, shortening the approval timeline from years to weeks. The list of authorized devices varies widely in complexity, from automated bagging techniques to repurposed sleep apnea machines. Three-dimensional printed ventilators, such as "CRISIS," propose a potential solution to increase the available number of vents for the United States and abroad, one that is dynamic and able to absorb the massive influx of hospitalized patients for the foreseeable future.