A simple method to monitor hemolysis in real time.

Blood damage (hemolysis) can occur during clinical procedures, e.g. dialysis, due to human error or faulty equipment, and it can cause significant harm to the patient or even death. We propose a simple technique to monitor changes in hemolysis levels continuously and in real time. As red blood cells rupture, the overall conductivity of the blood increases. Here, we demonstrate that small changes in porcine blood hemolysis can be detected through a simple resistance measurement.