Intravenous Infuser Quickly Rehydrates Critically Ill Patients

Each LifeFlow is supplied as a single-use device, together with an administration tubing set and a levered compression handle that is used to deliver the fluids into a patient’s vascular system through manual compression. A trained user can use the device to deliver, on average, one liter of crystalloid fluid through a 20-gauge IV catheter in less than five minutes.

The device includes a clear canopy, through which the graduations and contents of the syringe can be viewed during use. The handle is manually compressed to actuate the syringe, which delivers fluid from a container to the patient, and then automatically refills when the handle is released. The tubing set is sterile, and is compatible with standard IVs and IV fluid bags, and includes various generic components, such as a check valve, tubing, syringe, bag spike, thumb clamp, and Luer access connections.

“We know that early and aggressive fluid therapy can be one of the most important interventions in life-threatening illnesses like sepsis,” said pediatric intensivist Mark Piehl, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer of 410 Medical. “Most common infusion methods are often slow and ineffective in emergency situations, and currently available rapid infusion techniques are complex and expensive. The LifeFlow Rapid Infuser offers an intuitive and affordable solution to this critical challenge.”

“I had a chance to use LifeFlow today to treat a critically ill two-year-old. The child presented lethargic, with high temperature and heart rate; basically, compensated shock,” said Scott Connelly, MD, of Wake Emergency Physicians. “The heart rate dropped into the normal range in front of my eyes as the nurse pushed two fluid boluses within minutes. It was amazing. I have never seen that dramatic a reduction in heart rate with fluid boluses."