title: The properties of an improvised piston pump for the rapid delivery of intravenous fluids.
abstract: To maximise the effect of a small fluid load, it is occasionally desirable to bolus manually with multiple depressions of a large-capacity syringe. This is usually achieved by placing the syringe on the side port of a three-way tap. We modified this technique by placing two-one-way valves in line with the three-way tap, effectively creating a piston pump, the infusion rates via which we compared with those achieved by an inflatable pressure-infuser in a simulated resuscitation. Fluid flow was faster using the piston pump than with the pressure-infuser (mean (SD) time to infuse 2000 ml saline 0.9% via a 16-G cannula 352 (10) s vs 495 (19) s, respectively, p < 0.0001). The piston pump appears to have potential for both tight control of fluid delivery and major high-volume resuscitation. The lightweight nature of the pump and its lack of reliance on gravity may also make it suitable for the pre-hospital setting.
authors.affiliation: Ayr Hospital, Ayr, UK.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Smart
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Primrose
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Speirits
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000295:instrumentation; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013594:Syringes; D013997:Time Factors; D014160:Transducers, Pressure
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride