Insulin infusion sets for Diabetes come in various styles to suit the unique needs and preferences of different individuals. Insulin infusion sets are used with insulin pumps in the delivery of insulin to the diabetes patients. Insulin infusion sets consist of a very thin Teflon or stainless steel cannula which can be inserted just under the patient’s skin, a length of thin plastic tubing, and a plastic connector which joins the cannula to the tubing. Insulin infusion sets also offer a variety of thin, plastic tubing lengths that can deliver insulin to the body from the pump. At the end of the tubing is a soft, flexible cannula, which is a small, tapered tube. The cannula can be inserted under the skin with the help of an insertion device. The cannula is usually inserted into a location that one can inject using a syringe. This can be on the abdomen, thighs or buttocks. This spot is called the infusion site, and the infusion set can remain in place for as long as three days.
The Insulin infusion set
The Insulin infusion set consists of a complete tubing system designed to connect the insulin pump to the body of the diabetes patient using the infusion set. Insulin infusion sets may also include a quick-disconnect accessory, an adhesive mount, and a pump cartridge connector. The pump cartridge connector is usually placed on an adhesive patch which can be stuck onto the skin at the insertion site to help keep the cannula in place. Another function of the connector is that it enables the user to temporarily disconnect the pump without having to remove the whole infusion set. This comes in handy for situations where the user might want to indulge in activities like swimming, or in intimate situations.
Use of infusion sets
It is important for insulin infusion sets to be comfortable, convenient and easy to use. Besides having a Teflon or steel cannula, insulin infusion sets can be designed in such a way that the cannula is inserted at an angle to the body or directly into the subcutaneous tissue. With certain insulin infusion sets, the cannula can only be inserted manually, but insulin infusion sets in which the cannula can either be inserted manually or with the help of an insertion device. Thus diabetes patients can choose from two options for the insertion of the cannula for the insulin infusion set. A person can opt for manual insertion, in which case the patient needs to simply push the needle into his or her subcutaneous tissue as is done when being injected, or one can make use of a spring-loaded insertion device that can automatically insert the needle into the tissue. For individuals who prefer to control the insertion speed, the manual method will be more desirable, as it enables them to prepare themselves psychologically for the task and also helps them achieve less forceful or gradual insertion. It has been noted that lean people tend to prefer manual insertion for infusion sets.1