Abstract
We checked through one hundred brand-new infusion pumps (TE-172, Terumo, Tokyo) and one hundred and twenty brand-new syringe pumps (TE-312C, Terumo, Tokyo) before use to avoid unexpected incidents and compared our results with the company's specifications. No abnormality was found in infusion pumps in appearance, self-check function, and the air-in-the-line detecting function. One infusion pump showed its occulusion detecting function out of the limit at high pressure level (0.6-1.4kgf·cm-1) and was fixed. Ten infusion pumps showed inaccurate flow volumes at low flow level (25ml·hr-1 for 60 minutes). We adjusted only one of them which had delivered extremely small quantity for its setting. Lifespan of a battery in any one of the infusion pumps was acceptable (231±47min) but a battery alarm of the infusion pump warned earlier (90min) than the standard. As for syringe pumps, there was no abnormality as well in appearance, self check function, and the functions to detect the size of syringes, the emptiness and the occulusion of the line. No abnormality was found in battery alarms and accuracy of flow rates. Although we found more than 3% aberration of flow rates in 8 pumps, it was in acceptable range and no adjustment was necessary. Working time to check all these pumps was 107.5 hours. We recommend that clinical engineers should appraise the functions of new medical equipments before operate them to the patients, even though it takes a great amount of time.
