What are Volumetric Infusion Pumps?
Volumetric infusion pumps play a critical role in patient care. They are medical devices specifically designed to deliver medications, nutrients, and other essential substances in controlled amounts to patients. This is particularly useful in settings where precise dosage and timed delivery are critical, such as in intensive care units, surgical procedures, or long-term treatments.
These pumps can deliver a wide range of fluid volumes - from minute amounts in pediatrics and neonatology to larger quantities needed in adult care. By setting a specific volume and rate, healthcare providers can ensure that the patient receives the correct dosage over an appropriate period, minimizing the risk of under or over-dosing.
Volumetric infusion pumps are commonly used in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, and home care. They play a critical role in a wide range of treatments such as chemotherapy, antibiotic therapy, enteral and parenteral nutrition, and pain management, among others.
These pumps are particularly valuable in critical care, neonatal, and pediatric settings where accurate delivery of small fluid volumes is essential. However, they are also utilized in adult care for the administration of larger fluid volumes.
As with any medical device, volumetric infusion pumps require regular maintenance and calibration to ensure their accuracy and reliability. They also have safety features built in to alert the medical staff of potential issues such as air in the line, occlusions, or when the set VTBI has been reached.
What is VTBI in Volumetric Infusion Pumps?
VTBI stands for Volume To Be Infused. This refers to the total amount of fluid that should be administered from an infusion pump to a patient over a certain period.
When setting up an infusion pump, healthcare providers input the VTBI according to the specific treatment protocol for the patient. This will instruct the pump to deliver that exact volume of fluid, whether it's medication, nutrients, or other necessary substances, to the patient over a set duration.
It's important to note that VTBI is a feature of infusion pumps, not a separate device. VTBI is part of the functionality of various types of infusion pumps, including volumetric infusion pumps, syringe pumps, and others.
Once the pump has delivered the set VTBI, it will typically stop delivering the fluid and alert the healthcare provider with an alarm or signal. This prevents over-infusion and ensures that the patient gets the precise amount of fluid required for their treatment.
