Orlando Regional Medical Center Rapid Response Team Intervenes to Reverse Hemodynamic Collapse in Deteriorating Post-Surgical Patient
The Rapid Response Team at Orlando Regional Medical Center was called to the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) for a patient in their seventies who had recently undergone surgery and was now developing symptomatic hypotension. The patient reported feeling lightheaded and fatigued, and the bedside team noted progressive instability consistent with post-operative hemorrhage.
On assessment, the patient’s blood pressure was 80/45 mmHg with a heart rate of 115 bpm, yielding a shock index of 1.43, indicating severe shock. The patient appeared pale and fatigued, and a CBC revealed a drop in his hemoglobin level to below 7 g/dl following surgery.
Given the hypotension and clinical picture of acute blood loss, the Rapid Response Team initiated resuscitation. Using a LifeFlow device, the team infused 1 liter of normal saline followed by one unit of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) through the existing 18g access.
Following LifeFlow resuscitation, blood pressure improved to 105/60 mmHg, and the heart rate decreased to 100 bpm (shock index 0.95). The bedside team reported an improvement in his overall appearance and perfusion, and no additional emergent interventions such as vasopressors or airway management were required at that time.
Clinicians described LifeFlow as straightforward and efficient compared to other blood or fluid delivery methods. “LifeFlow made a great difference in this case. It allowed us to get fluids and blood into the patient rapidly and helped stabilize them quickly. It was very easy to set up and use, and it clearly improved our ability to care for this patient,” said Richard Hickey, RN.
By facilitating rapid delivery of both crystalloid and PRBCs, LifeFlow quickly reversed the patient’s decline. The improvement in blood pressure and heart rate occurred within minutes, preventing further decompensation and the need for higher-acuity interventions. This case illustrates the meaningful impact that timely, controlled resuscitation can have in post-operative hypovolemia.