What are the uses, types, and parts of an infusion pump?

The infusion pump is used to distribute liquids like nutrients and medicines to a patient in a measured quantity. These pumps are widely used in medical settings like hospitals and nursing homes. The use of the pumps requires a skilled user, who programs the pace and length of the liquid distribution using an in-built software interface. These pumps have noteworthy benefits over the manual distribution of fluids, as they can distribute liquids in small volumes or distribute liquids at exactly programmed rates or mechanized intervals. The pumps can distribute nutrients or medicines, like insulin, other hormones, antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and pain relievers. 

As these pumps are used often to distribute liquids, including high-risk medicines, the failure of these pumps could have serious implications for the safety of patients. To avert any type of disaster, infusion pumps are equipped with security characteristics, like buzzers or operator alerts that would be activated in the case of a difficulty. For instance, some pumps are equipped to warn the user in the case of air or other obstructions being present in the tubing that distributes the liquid to the patient. The latest generation infusion pumps named smart pumps are calculated to warn the user in the case of an adverse drug reaction or the user has set up the pump's limits outside of stated security boundaries.

How does an infusion pump work?

Infusion Pump Manufacturers have industrialized diverse kinds of pumps that vary from the others based on the technology, applications, size, and shape. Once the pump obtains a signal from the control unit it is activated. This activated pump drives or draws the fluid from the tank and delivers the same to the patient. 

What are the kinds of Infusion pumps?

The infusion pump is a kind of apparatus that uses diverse kinds of pumps for infusion. So, founded on the kind of pump used in the apparatus, they are mostly of two kinds.

1. Large Volume Pumps

These pumps are helpful in the infusion of large capacities of liquids (around 500 ml). The liquid pumped by these pumps could be a nutrient mixture, saline blend, medicines such as antibiotics, etc. Generally, these kinds of pumps have a peristaltic pump present in them.

2. Small Volume Pumps

These pumps are valuable in instilling smaller volumes of liquids of fluids (around 50 ml) such as insulin. 

They mostly comprise a motor that is controlled by a computer, which rotates the screws. The screws push the plunger of the syringe. Syringe pumps are examples of these kinds of pumps.

What are the components of an insulin pump?

The infusion pump comprises the following main components.

1. It has a power supply component that can supply power using AC or DC power. These days rechargeable batteries are also used.

2. The second component is the detector unit which consists of sensors like the door sensor, pressure sensor, and bubble sensor.

3. The third is the motor unit which is also a pumping unit like the peristaltic pump, and syringe pump.

4. The fourth is the control component which is used for processing, analyzing, recording, and storing information.

5. The Infusion pump also comprises an alarm component and a display unit.

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