Indian 'blood warmers' for US troops

An Indian firm is supplying to a US-based company, huge quantities of "blood warmers," a battery operated device to maintain temperature during blood transfusion, being used by the US Army to treat war casualties in Iraq.

Bangalore-based electronic product firm Opto Circuits Ltd is manufacturing these devices for Estil, a US-based company, which has bagged a contract from the American Army.

"The US Army is using the product in the Iraq war," Opto Circuits Ltd managing director Vinod Ramnani told PTI.

A news photo last week of an American doctor treating a two-year old Iraqi child showed the device being used, he said.

"It is a patented product of Estil, which we have started manufacturing since eight months, to treat critically injured patients," he said.