Intravenous fluid warming cassette system

Abstract

A fluid warming cassette system in which the cassette has a stiffening frame structure and an integral handle is provided to support a parenteral fluid container. The fluid container is desirably thin to minimize heat exchange inefficiencies. The frame structure permits the thin fluid container to be inserted into the narrow space between fixed position warming plates of a warming unit. The frame structure has a quadrilateral shape with sides and ends. The fluid container is attached, at its periphery to the sides and ends of the frame structure, within the quadrilateral shape. Part of the frame structure is formed into a handle to assist in both the insertion and removal of the cassette from a warming unit.

1 . A system for conductively warming parenteral fluids, comprising:
 a warming unit with heater plates defining a slot for receiving a warming cassette, at least one heater plate having at least one groove; and,   a warming cassette with a frame structure having a quadrilateral shape, a flexible planar fluid container with a periphery, the fluid container received in the quadrilateral shape and joined along its periphery to the frame structure, and at least one land adapted to engage the at least one groove while the cassette is slid into the slot.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the frame structure includes a first side, a second side, a distal end and a proximal end. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  in which the at least one land includes a land formed on each side. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  in which the at least one land includes a land extending longitudinally on each side. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further including a handle on the proximal end. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  in which the fluid container includes a fluid channel and first and second ports in communication with the fluid channel, the system further including a bubble trap having an input connected to the second port and an output to supply fluid. 
     
     
         7 . A system for conductively warming parenteral fluids, comprising:
 a warming unit with heater plates and a slot between the heater plates for slidably receiving a warming cassette; and,   a warming cassette with a frame structure having a quadrilateral shape with at least two opposing sides and a proximal end extending between the two sides, a flexible planar fluid container defining a fluid channel and having a periphery, the fluid container received in the quadrilateral shape and joined along its periphery to the frame structure, and a key mechanism adapted to mate the warming cassette with the slot in a predetermined orientation for sliding the warming cassette into the slot while the heater plates are maintained in a fixed relationship.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , in which the slot includes grooves and the key mechanism includes a land formed on each side, each land receivable in a respective groove in the slot. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , the frame structure further including a distal end opposite the proximal end. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  further including a handle on the proximal end. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  in which the fluid container includes first and second ports in communication with the fluid channel, the system further including a bubble trap having an input connected to the second port and an output to supply fluid.