ABSTRACT
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions (CSIIs), more commonly known as “insulin pumps,” were first developed as a research tool in the late 1970s. 1 Insulin pumps use a battery driven motor to continuously deliver insulin through a subcutaneous port. In an effort to mimic endogenous insulin production by a healthy pancreas, prespecified rates of insulin are infused continuously as the basal rate. The patient, via the pump, delivers spurts of insulin, known as bolus doses, when carbohydrates are eaten. Components of CSII therapy include the pump, which has a battery, motor, plunger, and insulin reservoir, tubing that delivers the insulin from the reservoir to the insertion site, and the insertion port that adheres to the skin and keeps the subcutaneous cannula in place.
