The effective power output of the Taurus 301 blood warmer when warming small volume units of red cell concentrate described using simulated blood products
type: CreativeWork
description: Background and Literature review At Groote Schuur Hospital, the lead anaesthesiologist in the cardiothoracic team, J. Ozinsky, identified the need for a device capable of warming blood rapidly prior to transfusion. Such a device was subsequently developed as a collaborative effort between the Department of Anaesthetics and Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. The device became known as the “Taurus” blood warmer, namesake of the Head of Department at the time, and clinical leader of the project, Prof. A.B. Bull. A subsequent version of the Taurus, which warms blood within the bag in which it is packaged, remains in active clinical service at Groote Schuur Hospital. Literature search reveals that devices which employed electromagnetic radiation for warming of blood and blood products were met with resistance following many case reports of haemolysis induced by warming. A common theme identified was that of elevated risk of haemolysis, due to local overheating, in blood products of high haematocrit (HCT) and small volume. The Taurus 301 performance has been evaluated extensively and the device used for over 30 years. Without any literature available to suggest that the device is overtly harmful it may be concluded that the device design is one that may be drawn upon with confidence especially for these blood products at elevated risk of haemolysis. The Taurus range of blood warmers represent the only examples of a radio-frequency blood warmers that were made available commercially for clinical use. In 1996 fire swept through the factory responsible for manufacture of Taurus blood warmers. Taurus manufacturing capability was not restored and more than a quarter century has now passed since the last Taurus 301 was commissioned. Taurus devices may still be found in active service within some South African hospitals.(1) The author has also observed the scrapping of at least 3 units from the Groote Schuur Hospital Complex over the past 5 year…
abstract: Background and Literature review At Groote Schuur Hospital, the lead anaesthesiologist in the cardiothoracic team, J. Ozinsky, identified the need for a device capable of warming blood rapidly prior to transfusion. Such a device was subsequently developed as a collaborative effort between the Department of Anaesthetics and Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. The device became known as the “Taurus” blood warmer, namesake of the Head of Department at the time, and clinical leader of the project, Prof. A.B. Bull. A subsequent version of the Taurus, which warms blood within the bag in which it is packaged, remains in active clinical service at Groote Schuur Hospital. Literature search reveals that devices which employed electromagnetic radiation for warming of blood and blood products were met with resistance following many case reports of haemolysis induced by warming. A common theme identified was that of elevated risk of haemolysis, due to local overheating, in blood products of high haematocrit (HCT) and small volume. The Taurus 301 performance has been evaluated extensively and the device used for over 30 years. Without any literature available to suggest that the device is overtly harmful it may be concluded that the device design is one that may be drawn upon with confidence especially for these blood products at elevated risk of haemolysis. The Taurus range of blood warmers represent the only examples of a radio-frequency blood warmers that were made available commercially for clinical use. In 1996 fire swept through the factory responsible for manufacture of Taurus blood warmers. Taurus manufacturing capability was not restored and more than a quarter century has now passed since the last Taurus 301 was commissioned. Taurus devices may still be found in active service within some South African hospitals.(1) The author has also observed the scrapping of at least 3 units from the Groote Schuur Hospital Complex over the past 5 year…
author: Eave, Dylan
keywords: Anaesthesia
date published: 2023
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:47Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39428