Perceived Performance Traits of Blood Warming Devices Among Special Warfare Medics.

BACKGROUND

Hypothermia is a major driver of trauma-induced coagulopathy on the battlefield. Several portable blood warmers have been developed for use in forward-deployed prehospital environments; however, end-user preferences for device use have not previously been investigated.

METHODS

A convenience sample of Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Corpsmen (HMs, n=35) were surveyed regarding their perceived usability of five blood warmer devices: the QinFlow®, M Warmer, Buddy Lite®, Thermal Angel™, and the North American Rescue (NAR) Quantum®. The Likert-based survey was built around evaluating three domains: ease of use, device ruggedness, and perceived device efficacy. Responses were quantified and compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the chi-square test, as appropriate. Statistical significance was defined as P<.05. Qualitative responses were summarized into major themes.

RESULTS

The M Warmer received the highest overall scores in all three domains with statistically significant differences identified across most comparisons to other warmers. Qualitative analysis reinforced these findings, emphasizing the importance of compactness, intuitive deployment, and device reliability in austere environments. The M Warmer was the most frequently preferred device (45%, P=.0067), with users citing portability, rapid setup, and compatibility with existing gear as key advantages.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort of NSW HMs, user-centered evaluation of field blood warmers identified the M Warmer as the most operationally favorable device. Preferences were shaped not only by perceived effectiveness but by factors directly relevant to forward-deployed settings: portability, intuitive operation, and logistical simplicity. These findings underscore the importance of integrating end-user feedback into medical equipment acquisition.