Just come out of hospital after a minor op which went well.
Whilst in there, it suddenly struck me as to why the drip feed bottles are not exactly rectangular but have what I can only describe as a 'kink' in the middle? After all, the bottles are upside down and the liquid transfers to your body by gravity so I cannot see that the 'kink' would improve the flow rate. It is possible that the kink is there for storage of the bottles but I don't understand the benefit - if any!
2006-11-09 02:29:05 · 2 answers · asked by Charlie Babbage 5 in Health ➔ Other - Health
Thanks alpha-male but I don't t think that can be it! If the liquid was either above or below the 'kink' it would still spill out if the bottle was knocked over.
2006-11-09 02:37:18 · update #1
Some interesting answers coming in now and the best one so far from gazeygoo!
However, I'm still puzzled re his/her comment 'Meantime the weight of the fluid in the plastic container causes it to sort of narrow in the center but this is not a kink'.
This may be because of my inadequate description of the bottle - it was a solid plastic bottle, not a bag and almost certainly an IV drip. The kink is in the shape of the bottle - of course the liquid follows the shape of the bottle!
2006-11-09 10:16:05 · update #2
I'm going to assume here that you are referring to an intravenous fluid container and not the products used for "feeding" although they are similar. The most commonly used product is normal saline which is no doubt what you were given. These are packed in "rectangular" plastic bags but were originally in glass bottles. These containers come with a valve into which the tubing or administration set is inserted. They can be thrown, dropped and rolled down hills all of which I've done in my ambulance days and they will not leak and I've never seen one break. Leaking only occurs when the tubing is left open. Flow rate is adjusted by a stop valve on the tubing or by an IVAC machine. Meantime the weight of the fluid in the plastic container causes it to sort of narrow in the center but this is not a kink. Meantime these are distributed in heavy cardboard cartons, they are NOT folded in half and they do NOT have fliers of any sort between them. I am curious to know what above answerer has been unpacking, I would be afraid to have her handling my products since she doesn't seem too well informed.
2006-11-09 03:14:28 · answer #1 · answered by Tulip 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the kink is there in case it is accidently knocked over, it doesn't spill out all over the floor or person
2006-11-09 10:31:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋