What is an Infusion Pump and How Does it Work?
An infusion pump is a device used by medical professionals manufactured by medical device companies to administer medications and fluids to patients. The pump can be operated manually or remotely, using tubing attached to the patient's body to deliver the medication.
Infusion pumps are used for various medical purposes, but they all have one thing in common: they deliver a steady flow of medication over a set amount of time. There are many different infusion pumps, but they all work the same way.
This article will discuss how infusion pumps work, their benefits and drawbacks, and their uses in modern medicine.
Types of Infusion Pumps
An infusion pump is a medical device that delivers a drug or other fluid through a tube or catheter. The pump can be used to deliver a short or long-term dose of medication, or it can be used to administer blood transfusions. They are often used in hospitals and nursing homes to administer antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, or painkillers. Infusion pumps also deliver nutrition to patients who cannot eat independently. The medication is administered in a controlled manner through a flexible tube that connects the pump to a vein or artery in the patient's body.
In most cases, a trained user will control an infusion pump's flow rate and timer using the device's in-built user interface software. There are several benefits to using an infusion pump rather than manually administering fluids, including the capacity to provide fluids in extremely tiny amounts and at precisely set rates or automatic intervals.
Infusion pumps come in a wide variety of configurations, including large volume pumps (LVP), patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), insulin pumps, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), syringe, and enteral, among others. Some are made primarily for use at the bedside of a patient. Some, known as ambulatory infusion pumps, can even be worn or carried around.
The administration of high-risk drugs and other essential fluids often requires infusion pumps; therefore, pump failures can seriously affect patient safety. A variety of alarms and other operator notifications are standard on many infusion pumps and are designed to go off in the case of a malfunction. Some pumps, for instance, can notify caregivers if air or another blockage is found in the tubing used to transport fluid to the patient. Some modern infusion pumps, sometimes called smart pumps, are designed to inform the user when there is a danger of an unfavourable medication interaction or when the user changes the pump's settings outside of predetermined safety limits.
How Do Infusion Pumps Work?
Infusion pumps use either electronic or mechanical controls to deliver the desired flow rate. They use a hybrid approach called quasi-peristaltic motion. A three-chambered cassette is used in conjunction with a pumping mechanism to create the system. The volume of fluid to be conveyed and the fluid delivery rate is specified in millilitres per hour. The pump will not push fluid over a certain delivery pressure to avoid harming the patient.
One way to do this is by monitoring reservoir pressure and preventing it from rising over a certain threshold. Once the pressure is reached, the pump will stop. A warning signal called an occlusion alarm provides this information. An alarm will go off if the pump isn't working as it should be, such as if the patient isn't receiving the expected amount of fluid. Since the infusion pump has a built-in battery, it can remain functioning even if the power goes out.
Applications of Infusion Pumps
Infusion pumps are used in many settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities. These pumps can be used in many different applications, including:
- In cancer treatment, these pumps are used to administer chemotherapy.
- The medical industry puts them to use at clinics for injecting various drugs.
- When used to administer intramuscular injections of nutrition or drugs, these pumps raise standards of care by ensuring greater precision and uniformity.
- In addition to this, it is utilised for pain management.
Benefits of Infusion pumps
The benefits of using an infusion pump include:
● Ease of use
Infusion pumps can be programmed to deliver a set amount of medication at regular intervals, which makes them especially useful in situations where it’s important to administer medications consistently.
● Convenience
An infusion pump can be worn on a belt or attached to your clothing so that you don’t have to remember to take it with you when leaving home or going out in public.
● Safety
The automatic delivery mechanism ensures that the correct dosage is delivered without fail, which helps prevent under- or overdosing that might otherwise occur if left up to a person’s memory or ability to follow directions.
Takeaway
Infusion pumps are life-saving devices used by millions of healthcare professionals daily. At Paragon Care, we believe that when it comes to medical devices, the customer experience is critical. That's why we work hard to ensure that our infusion pumps are easy-to-use and intuitive.
As a leading medical device company in Australia, we are committed to working with you to ensure that your patients get the right care at the right time. We want to help you provide the best equipment possible, whether it's through our infusion pumps or any other medical device in our product line.