Surgery and Critical Care
The speed and simplicity of testing with an Advanced Instrument freezing point osmometer makes it a critical first step in the evaluation of cases presented to the emergency room, in monitoring response to IV therapy, and in monitoring the recovery from surgical procedures.
- Hypovolemic/Hypervolemic Shock Prevention: Osmolality can be used to monitor perfusate during coronary bypass or renal surgery to avoid hypovolemic shock.
- Electrolyte/Metabolite Imbalance: Osmolality offers rapid detection of post-surgery electrolyte/metabolite imbalance. In urologic surgery, the difference between calculated and measured osmolality can be used to estimate absorption of irrigation fluid.
- IV Therapy: Osmolality can help monitor and manage IV therapy.
- Liver Transplant: Large increases in osmolality can occur due to blood loss or transfusion, changes in plasma sodium levels, or the administration of sodium bicarbonate.
- Glycine Uptake: Surgical procedures of long duration can cause the uptake of irrigation fluid that will contribute to an elevated osmolality.
- Blood Bank: Osmolality is measured to ensure that glycerol has been completely removed from the frozen blood cells.