What Is a Disposable Infusion Pump and How to Use It

What Is a Disposable Infusion Pump?

A disposable infusion pump is a medical device designed for single-use application, used to deliver liquid medications slowly into the body. It requires no external power supply or connection and relies on an internal elastic reservoir to control the infusion rate through self-generated pressure. This device is also known as an elastomeric infusion pump, as its core mechanism depends on elasticity to enable continuous fluid delivery.

What Is the Elastomeric Pump Used For?

These pumps are widely used in various clinical fields, particularly suited for:

General Pain Management, Antibiotic Infusion, and Chemotherapy

· During postoperative recovery, chronic pain control, and cancer treatment, they help maintain a stable plasma concentration of analgesic drugs over extended periods;

· Suitable for antibiotic therapies requiring stable drug concentrations, minimizing the risk of toxic reactions;

· Especially ideal for long-duration or delayed-infusion chemotherapy regimens, where consistent and precise flow rate improves treatment outcomes and patient safety.

Preoperative, Perioperative, and Postoperative Applications

· Can be used preoperatively for baseline sedation and analgesia;

· Enhances intraoperative anesthesia through combined pain control;

· Most importantly, provides continuous background dose infusion postoperatively, significantly reducing acute pain peaks, minimizing breakthrough pain episodes, lowering dependence on PRN medication, accelerating early ambulation, and reducing postoperative complications.

Obstetric Anesthesia and Analgesia

· Widely used in obstetrics for continuous epidural infusion of local anesthetics to provide effective and safe labor analgesia;

· Can serve as the background component of a Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) system, with the elastomeric pump delivering continuous baseline doses and the patient pressing a button to administer additional doses. This approach optimizes analgesic effectiveness, reduces total drug usage and motor block side effects, and enhances the overall comfort of obstetric care.

Types of Elastomeric Infusion Pumps

Based on core differences in drug delivery control mechanisms, they are mainly divided into two basic types:

Constant-Rate Elastomeric Infusion Pumps

These rely on a special balloon structure to generate constant mechanical pressure as the driving force, maintaining a stable and uniform infusion rate over time. The flow rate is preset and non-adjustable. This type features a simple and reliable structure, ideal for situations where flow adjustment is unnecessary, such as postoperative background analgesia, continuous antibiotic infusion, or chemotherapy requiring steady dosing.

Variable-Rate Elastomeric Infusion Pumps

These are based on the constant-rate design but include a flow rate adjustment module (typically a mechanical regulator with calibrated markings), allowing multiple flow settings. Healthcare personnel can preselect a specific rate (e.g., 0.5 ml/h to 5 ml/h) to meet personalized and staged drug delivery needs, such as background adjustment in labor PCA, titrated treatment during acute pain phases, or chemotherapy protocols requiring rate changes. The key feature is flow flexibility within a predefined range.

Components of an Elastomeric Infusion Pump

Reservoir: A balloon-like container made from elastic material used to hold and store the medication to be infused.

Flow Regulator: A precision component that determines the maximum infusion rate. In variable-rate models, this is an adjustable device providing resistance to control flow.

Catheter or Infusion Line: A narrow tubing system including the needle, filter, and luer lock connector, forming the pathway from the reservoir to the patient’s vein.

Infusion Tube: A flexible conduit connecting the reservoir to the flow regulator, responsible for internal fluid transfer.

Filling Port: Located at the top of the reservoir, it includes a bacteria-proof membrane to allow sterile filling through a syringe or needleless connector.

Control Mechanism: The physical system that drives fluid infusion. In constant-rate models, this is a fixed mechanical structure, whereas in variable-rate types, it includes an adjustable regulator.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Elastomeric Infusion Pumps

Advantages

· Portability: Highly lightweight and can be fixed directly to the patient’s limb using adhesive patches or straps, enabling complete mobility during treatment, which is ideal for outpatient care or transport scenarios.

· Accuracy: The elastic drive mechanism maintains a stable flow rate with a typical error margin of ±5%, ensuring reliable delivery for routine small-dose infusion.

· Ease of Use: Pre-packaged in sterile form with a non-programmable mechanical system, making it ready for immediate use with minimal training—especially suitable for primary care and emergency multi-department use.

· Lightweight, Sterile, Single-Use: Constructed from medical-grade polymers and filled under sealed sterile conditions, eliminating the need for disinfection and reducing risks of cross-contamination and equipment management burden.

· No External Power Required: Operates purely on elastic energy, unaffected by power availability, which is critical in battlefield care, disaster relief, and remote patient transfer scenarios.

· Cost-Effective: Over 70% lower in cost per treatment compared to electronic infusion pumps, with zero maintenance requirements, easing the financial and operational burden on healthcare institutions.

Disadvantages

· Limited Capacity: Restricted by the physical expansion limit of the elastic reservoir, making it unsuitable for large-volume infusions like Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) or continuous renal replacement therapy.

· Compatibility Issues: Certain drug properties—lipophilicity, hyperosmolarity, or extreme pH (≤3 or ≥10)—can pose dissolution risks to pump materials, affecting flow or damaging device integrity.

· Manual Adjustment: Flow rate changes depend on manual regulation and lack real-time monitoring, making it unsuitable for complex infusion regimens or emergency dosing.

· Risk of Leakage: The chance of catheter joint fatigue or balloon micropunctures is around 0.3%-1.5%, posing risks of local tissue injury or contamination, especially when delivering cytotoxic drugs.

· No Alarms: Lacking electronic sensors, the device cannot alert for issues like occlusion, air bubbles, or depleted fluid, requiring full reliance on manual checks for safety assurance.

· No Historical Data Logging: Does not generate automatic logs or cumulative dosing reports, creating challenges in treatment review, efficacy evaluation, and error tracing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Elastomeric Infusion Pumps Be Used with All Types of Drugs?

There are clear compatibility limitations. Suitability depends on the physical and chemical properties of the medication. High-viscosity fluids, lipid emulsions, and solutions with extreme pH may cause abnormal flow rates. Always refer to the compatibility list provided in the pump’s manual and assess against the patient’s treatment plan.

How Long Can an Elastomeric Infusion Pump Deliver Fluids Continuously?

The duration is determined by the reservoir capacity and preset flow rate. For example, a 50 ml reservoir delivering at 2 ml/h can last approximately 25 hours. Environmental temperature may affect the elastic drive force and alter infusion duration. In clinical settings, usage is typically recommended within 72 hours for standard protocols.

How Should an Elastomeric Infusion Pump Be Stored?

Proper storage should meet four conditions: maintain humidity between 40%-70%, keep away from light and heat sources, store at temperatures between 5°C to 25°C as indicated on the packaging, and preserve the sealed sterile condition until use. During infusion, take precautions to prevent needle puncture and unintended drug leakage.