Cutaneous complications induced by continuous subcutaneous infusion. Experimental studies with portable mini-pumps

In healthy volunteers, possible complications at the needle site were studied during short-term as well as continuous subcutaneous infusion of aqueous fluid with portable mini-pumps. Local complications, such as leakage of fluid, erythema, and bacterial contamination of the hypodermic needle were associated with the duration of the indwelling time, but not with the total volume delivered during every experiment. The hypodermic steel needle caused pain when the subcutaneous fat tissue layer was thin. These findings may have clinical relevance for the performance of continuous subcutaneous hormone infusion therapy (e.g. insulin-pump treatment of type-I diabetes mellitus).