Pump safety

[SophiaW]

I have a couple of questions which I hope pump users can answer for me.

What prevents an insulin pump from malfunctioning and administering insulin when not required or administering too much insulin?

Specifically for the Accu-Chek Combo pump, what prevents someone else's remote controller communicating with your pump and delivering too much insulin or insulin when not required? For example if you're at a restaurant, could someone in the vicinity with the same brand of pump cause cross-communication between the pumps?

 

[jopar]

I know that the Spirit pump completes around 9 million self tests durning the day :shock: :shock:

Pumps have a do have a very good self testing program, that limits the likelyhood of accidental insulin delivery...

I would assume concerning the comunication side of things, that the actual distance the controller needs to be to the pump is a lot smaller than that of a mobile phone, this would limit accidental cross over, and I should also imagine that when the control will send a access code fisrt to the pump, so they pump will only recieve a blue tooth signal/information if the code matches...

I would have a look in the manual, might be some information there concerning the blue communication if not give Rouche a email or phone, as they should be able to give further information

 

[DavidR]

Specifically for the Accu-Chek Combo pump, what prevents someone else's remote controller communicating with your pump and delivering too much insulin or insulin when not required? For example if you're at a restaurant, could someone in the vicinity with the same brand of pump cause cross-communication between the pumps?

The pump and the remote are "paired" so each will only communicate with it's uniquely numbered partner. In the event of replacement of one of them (due to loss or damage) then the two bits of kit must be re-paired to ensure they "talk" to each other at all -- it's all in the manual but the Roche helpline will talk you through it if necessary.

IF there was another pump and remote with the same unique numbers as yours in the restaurant it's very unlikely that there'd be a problem as the range is only a couple of feet.
If the other diabetic with the pump and remote with the same numbers as yours is sitting on your lap (or vice versa) then all you both have to do is to make sure you use the controls on the pumps not on the remotes.

 

[SophiaW]

Thanks Jopar and David both for your replies, that reassures me that it is unlikely to dose insulin through error. We're toying with the idea of getting our daughter onto a pump if we can't get control of her blood sugars in the next few months.