Regional anaesthesia elastomeric pump performance after
a single use and subsequent refill: a laboratory study

Authors: Grant, C. R. K.¹; Fredrickson, M. J.²

Source: Anaesthesia, Volume 64, Number 7, July 2009 , pp. 770-775(6)

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Abstract:

Summary

Ambulatory local anaesthetic delivery systems are often limited by a short effective duration of infusion. Prolonging nerve blockade by substituting a new pump as recommended by the manufacturers, represents a substantial consumable item cost ($US300-500). We therefore evaluated the flow delivery performance of 31 single model elastomeric devices (all with a 2 ml.h⁻¹ background and 5 ml every hour bolus capability) that had been filled, used in clinical practice and then refilled in the laboratory. For the second infusion, there was a pattern of over-infusion (< 10 ml.h⁻¹) in the first hour; however, all pumps depreciated to < 150% of predicted by the second hour. The subsequent performance of all pumps was not only within safe limits, but also predominantly within the range (background infusion ± 15%, bolus +10/−20%) specified by the manufacturer for primary infusion. We conclude that this elastomeric regional anaesthesia pump design performs satisfactorily after having been refilled following a single previous use.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2044.2009.05941.x

Affiliations: 1: Consultant Anaesthetist, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK 2: Consultant Anaesthetist, Auckland City Hospital and The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Publication date: 2009-07-01