Project Description:

Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Medics and Special Operations Surgical Teams (SOSTs) are not equipped to hold patients for 72 hours in austere settings because they do not possess an efficient and transportable large quantity blood warming device that functions in these settings. Unfortunately, the devices currently used by the military to warm large quantities of blood are not sufficient to reach many on the field. One is the in-line warmer that only warms a single bag at a time, which is often not sufficient. The other is a sous vide, which is a cooking device. It requires consistent electrical power, water, and a large container, preventing its ability to be used in many remote settings. Because of these large limitations of existing devices, many life-saving blood transfusions cannot be performed. Our invention, the ErythroTherm, solves this unmet need. The ErythroTherm is a small blanket with heated pockets to place blood bags in. It is easily portable due to its lightweight nature, collapsibility, reducing to about one third of its size while in transport, and ability to be battery powered. Additionally, it holds up to six bags of blood at once, warming them to temperature within eight minutes. Because our users are often under high pressure, it is designed to be very intuitive and easy to use. Our users simply have to insert the blood bags, turn the device on, and glance at the LED indicators every so often to see if the blood is at temperature. The LEDs will signal when the device is powered, when the blood is at body temperature, and if it is too hot. The ErythroTherm fills a gap in the market, has the potential to save thousands of lives, and is valuable in any remote environment where blood transfusions are necessary.