Clinical Application of Gas Forming Infusion Pump for Intravenous Postoperative Pain Control

Nam, Sang Beom; Chang, Chul Ho; Rhee, Ho Dong; Lee, Youn Woo

Abstract

BACKGROUND
There are many types of infusion pumps, for example the mechanical infusion pump and the electronic infusion pump. All of them have some limitations when used in the medical field, and therefore, a new gas forming infusion pump with an accurate infusion volume and velocity was developed. We examined the accuracy of the new gas forming infusion pump (ANAPA(R), Ewha Inc., Korea) before clinical use. METHODS: We studied 49 patients who were planning to have lumbar spine surgery. Infusions were started after the patients awoke from general anesthesia. Pumps were filled with a total volume of 100 ml composed by fentanyl (10microgram/kg), ketorolac (1, 2 or 3 mg/kg), and saline. Expected basal rate was 2.0 ml/h. The infused volume, pain score, and side effects were checked at 3, 6 hours after beginning the infusion and every 6 hours thereafter. RESULTS: The average infusion velocity was 2.1 ml/h, but a statistically regular infusion velocity was maintained. There were no infusion failure cases after the infusion pump was revised. The numeric pain score was high at early postoperative stages, but 12 hours later, the pain subsided. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the new gas forming infusion pump is one of the safe and regular volume delivering devices for intravenous postoperative pain control. Attaching a patient controlled analgesic device on this infusion pump could make postoperative pain management more complete.