Clinical management of infants and newborn babies undergoing major surgery utilizing a rapid infusion device

In this paper we describe the perioperative management of a premature infant who underwent excision of a giant sacrococcygeal teratoma, a newborn infant who had a partial hepatectomy for a haemangioendothelioma of the liver and an 18‐month‐old infant who had repair of abdominal aortic, renal and iliac arterial aneurysms. In each case a rapid infusion device was used to deliver warm, washed and ventilated blood to replace massive intraoperative blood loss. Although the blood loss in each operation was in excess of twice the total blood volume of the patient, losses were replaced effectively with the rapid infusion device without any significant hypovolaemic episodes. Successful management of newborn babies and infants undergoing surgery with large and potentially hazardous blood loss can be provided using the rapid infusion device. Paediatric anaesthesiologists should strongly consider using this technology when caring for a baby or infant during surgery where massive haemorrhage may occur.