ICU are life-saving magic, the most common is, intravenous pumps and infusion pumps, I think the most expensive is the blood filter.
The first is the most common type of IV pump, which can accurately pump out medication within minutes. It is one of the essential "tools of the trade" in the intensive care unit. Patients in the ICU are heavy. Many medications enter the body too quickly or too slowly, which can aggravate the disease. For example, pressurization, hypotension, sedation. This is a guarantee of good results in the icu. The charge is $1/hour, but if the patient uses a lot of it, it is a lot of money. In order to ensure the therapeutic effect of the icu, there are many "magic tools" in the icu equipment. At the same time, their use also leads to an increase in cost, so the cost of each icu patient is very expensive.
Another common one. infusion pump (different from the general ward) can accurately control the speed and volume of the patient's liquid infusion, which is another necessary "magic weapon" for each patient in the ICU. Ward patient condition is light, most of the organ function is normal, infusion speed fast, slow is not a big problem. The body can self-regulate. Generally speaking, by observing the infusion rate can roughly estimate the infusion rate and infusion volume. However, patients in the intensive care unit are in serious condition and need an accurate infusion rate, sometimes very slow, tens of milliliters per hour, or even tens of milliliters, such as patients with heart failure. Some patients require rapid rehydration, which may require hundreds or even thousands of milliliters of fluid per hour, such as patients with hemorrhagic shock. These cannot be accomplished by counting the number of fluid drops. Infusion pumps are essential equipment for the icu, a reflection of accuracy and a guarantee of efficacy.Costing $1/hour, they are economical and practical, and are generally available for one patient and can be used for more than two essential problems.
I think the most expensive blood filter is what is often called an "artificial kidney" (hemofiltration machine), which is safer than dialysis and more compatible with human physiology. It is also a "miracle device" used in ICUs to rescue patients with acute renal failure. Besides burning too much money, it is really a rare device. Many patients are prone to acute kidney injury, elevated creatinine, anuria. At this time, the patient must also take drugs, how to do, blood filtration to solve the problem. It can be used to manually control a patient's fluid output. It can be very precise. Therefore, it is also an indication when the patient has excess body fluids, such as heart failure and hypotension. It can quickly and steadily regulate the patient's internal environment when the patient has severe ionic disturbances, such as hyperkalemia, which can stop the heart at any time. When used, it quickly brings blood potassium down to normal levels. The machine can also perform plasma exchange, often referred to as "artificial liver", which is often used in patients with liver failure as well as myasthenia gravis and autoimmune diseases. The blood filter is a very useful device, but it costs too much money. The first day's cost is between $7,000 and $8,000. Routine maintenance costs around $6,000-7,000. Plasma replacement costs around $7000-8500 per day.
This is an important "weapon" in the defense of the source of life, but also an indispensable equipment in the intensive care unit.