By John Bennett, Service Engineer, Infusion Concepts
Whether you are buying your first infusion pump or syringe driver, looking to add to your current collection or wanting to upgrade your archaic dinosaur from the 1800s, finding the best Infusion pump can be a minefield and, even with the best information, confusing.
This brief guide, written by an infusion pump engineer with years of experience, should help you make the right choice when purchasing your new pumps and drivers.
Since the demise of CME, producers of the Niki and VetPro pumps and drivers, a vast range of devices have appeared on the market. We often opt for what we think is a “good deal”, but this can be counterproductive, and what we think is a “good deal” often isn’t and can end up costing more in the long run.
This unbiased information will help you make an informed decision when choosing your infusion device and hopefully end up with the best pump suitable for your practice that won’t cost you the earth.
Where to purchase your new device
Choose a reputable supplier and ensure your supplier has the capability to accurately calibrate the pumps and drivers to the brands of lines and syringes you are using. This is imperative as there can be up to 40% difference between brands in terms of delivery and pressure values!
If, when purchasing your device, your supplier doesn’t ask which lines/syringes you use, then beware and look elsewhere.
Warranty and after-sales service
Ensure your supplier can provide rapid, free-of-charge warranty repairs and servicing. If your device develops a fault, you don’t want to wait for it to be returned to the manufacturer in some faraway country!
Choose the right pump/driver
Your device needs to be robust enough to cope with the veterinary environment. For example, most touch screens don’t seem to like rough handling or being knocked about and more importantly, the screens can be expensive to replace. Did you know that to replace a touch screen on some devices can cost over £400?
Avoid equipment which requires dedicated lines or syringes. Don’t get stuck with one brand of lines/syringes which will limit your choice of range, quality, and cost. The pump maybe cheap but look at the overall cost of the sets and pumps. Are you really getting a good deal when that “special offer” ends?
If you do have dedicated sets, how easy are they to source? Do you have to bulk buy in order to make it cost effective and if so, do you have the storage space !
Choose equipment that is quick and simple to set up and trial the equipment before purchase. A generous trial period with the staff that will use the equipment often will be most valuable as to whether the device is the right one for your practice. There is nothing worse than spending a lot of money on a pump/syringe driver for it to be placed in the back of cupboard gathering dust because it is not user friendly..
And finally….
Your pumps accuracy, performance and reliability are directly affected by the quality of the giving sets used. Only use high quality lines that are designed for veterinary use, and ensure you place the correct part of the infusion line into the pump drive, otherwise you may damage your device and possibly over infuse your patient.
Find out more – infusionconcepts.com
More about the author:
John Bennett, Service Engineer, Infusion Concepts
John “Ben” Bennett began his journey with Infusion Concepts in February 2012, bringing extensive expertise and dedication to his role as a service engineer. Operating from a state-of-the-art workshop facility in York, Ben is entrusted with the vital responsibility of managing all repair work on infusion pumps and an array of other medical equipment.
The article was originally posted in The Cube magazine, February 2025 issue. Click here to read the magazine.
