How to Select a Precise, Reliable Heat Source for Medical OEM Applications
With global demand for medical devices expected to grow from over $495 billion in 2022 to nearly $719 billion by 2029[i], the demand for precise, high-performing heaters across a wide range of applications is on the rise. Heaters for insufflation, blood and fluid warming devices, and sterilization are central to the success of surgical procedures, positive patient outcomes, quicker recovery times, and managing bioburdens.
With a little research and planning, selecting the right heater for your application can be a relatively easy process. For more than 20 years, Backer Hotwatt has partnered with leading medical device OEMs to create custom heating solutions for both existing and novel technologies. Our team can help you determine the best heat source for your application, ultimately enabling optimal patient care and safe, sterile environments with the highest quality devices.
Which Heater is the Right One for Your Application?
There are a wide range of medical heaters available for applications including blood and fluid warming, insufflation and ablation, sterilization, patient comfort, and cell incubation in laboratories.
A few initial questions to consider when selecting a heat source for your application include:
· What are the physical size requirements/constraints of your application?
· What is the rise in temperature required?
· What level of temperature control do you need?
· What is the circuit voltage?
Our team works with you to answer these and other questions to determine the best solution for your heating requirements. Below are a few of the medical device, laboratory, and research heating solutions available for your application.
Insufflation Device Heaters
Heaters for insufflation devices, which allow warmed carbon dioxide (CO2) to be flowed into a body cavity in order to inflate it during laparoscopic surgery, contribute to successful patient outcomes. Heating the CO2 that flows into the cavity must be controlled with a great degree of precision.
Backer Hotwatt offers a full line of air process heaters. Our team can help you design an air heater that will precisely control temperature and ensure your insufflator systems and insufflation equipment achieve optimal results for your customers.
Blood Warming Device Heaters
Blood warming devices require the ability to achieve an exacting temperature to ensure the patient receives the highest quality of care. This application is not suited for off-the-shelf heaters. Engineering the right heating source requires close collaboration with a knowledgeable partner to achieve the right form factor and determine the exact wattage needed.
We have collaborated with numerous OEMs to custom design heaters for a variety of blood warming applications, often designed to fit within small design envelopes. Our micro-circulation heaters enable the temperature to be controlled very precisely, and once the blood is warmed, to maintain a consistent, optimal temperature.
Fluid Warming Device Heaters
Fluid warming heaters are used in a wide array of applications—from warming blankets to incubators—to maintain body temperature, ensure patient comfort pre- and post-procedure, and provide newborns with safe, carefully controlled environments. Backer Hotwatt heating elements allow warmers to provide consistent and controlled heat to exacting parameters. Our patented micro-circulation heaters are low water protected, meaning that the heater is shut off and reset automatically if the upper limit of the heat range is reached.
Endometrial Ablation Heaters
Endometrial ablation is a procedure often undertaken to reduce the risk of infection and allow for quicker recovery times. Backer Hotwatt designs and custom-builds fluid heaters so doctors can control the temperature over the duration of a procedure, as the temperature range must remain within strict parameters.
Our immersion heaters are designed for optimal heat transfer for heating liquids to meet low to high temperature needs, and are available from low to high watt densities.
Sterilization Air Heaters
Managing bioburdens in laboratory and research environments is no small task and requires control over exact heat measurements for extended periods of time. Our heaters provide precise outputs and reliable performance. These systems use patented, proven efficacy in sterilization methods and technology to completely decontaminate the surfaces in a room and hard-to-reach areas.
We offer a full selection of air process heaters that provide hot air and gas up to 1000°F (540°C) and offer infinite control by varying the voltage and air velocity supplied.
Cell Growth and Incubation Air Heaters
Efficient, durable, and calibrated air heaters are employed in medical devices used in highly monitored procedures such as cell growth and incubation. Backer Hotwatt’s custom-designed air process heaters are built to the specifications required for each unique application, delivering the reliability medical and research professionals need.
A Custom Medical Device Heating Solution
Backer Hotwatt can design and engineer a custom heating solution for your vital healthcare or laboratory application. With more than 20 years of experience with leading OEMs, we have created a range of compact, high-performing heaters that meet the highest purity standards and achieve varying flow and temperature requirements.
Our personal, one-on-one product design and engineering process enables us to quickly develop prototypes to speed development and time to market. We can help you custom design and manufacture the best heater for your medical device or laboratory application. Contact an engineer today to set up an exploratory consultation. We look forward to working with you.
[i] https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/medical-devices-market-100085