An Assessment of the Effects of Pressure Infusion with the Novel LifeFlow Device on Blood

To improve survival for hemorrhagic shock treatment, guidelines emphasize two patient care priorities: (1) immediate hemorrhage control and (2) early resuscitation with whole blood or blood products. The LifeFlow device is designed to rapidly infuse blood products. However, the effects of using this device compared to pressure-bag systems remains unclear. We hypothesize there will be no laboratory-measured difference with the blood when infused through the LifeFlow versus the current standard pressure bag system. Methods: Two units of fresh whole blood were obtained from a sus scrofa model. One unit was infused using the LifeFlow with the other unit used as a control through a standard pressure bag system into an empty bag. The before measurements were obtained from blood samples from a standard fresh whole blood collection bag. The blood was infused into a whole blood bag devoid of storage solution from which the after measurements were obtained. Results: This study utilized 22 clinically healthy sus scrofa. Blood units were primarily obtained from a left subclavian central line(50.0%). The median time to acquire and administer a unit of blood was similar for both the LifeFlow device (8.4 minutes and 8.1minutes) and the pressure bag (8.7 minutes and 7.4 minutes). No significant differences were found in the total time to acquire or administer blood between the two devices. The median volume of blood acquired was 500 mL for both groups. While no significant differences in blood parameters were observed between the two devices, significant differences were noted when comparing pre- and post-transfusion values within each device. For the LifeFlow device, an increase in hemoglobin and chloride levels, as well as a decrease in thromboplastin time and glucose levels, were observed. With the pressure bag, only a decrease in blood urea nitrogen was observed.