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Does anyone use the cap for the cannula?

DiabeticJim

DiabeticJim

Active Member
Messages
32
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I have never used the small cap when taking off the pump to shower etc. Should I?


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I dont and havent had problems.....

i think there is vacuum in the canulla anyway and so nothing will come in or out....
 
I cap my Inset II set when having a shower etc as the set has jagged edges to it and catches in my sponge if I'm not careful so the cap prevents that.
 
I don't use the cap when I remove the pump for showering, but I do when I'm swimming (apart from the one occasion when I forgot to take a cap with me to the pool - and I suffered no ill effects).

The rule of thumb my DSN said was that 'own germs' (i.e. shower) were okay, but it was a good idea to cap the cannula if 'other germs' were around (i.e. pool, sea, mud-wrestling......).

:)
 
I use it when swimming so the sharp end doesn't catch on my swimming costume.
 
Yes, I always use it when I disconnect in case I get an air bubble or something while its uncapped.


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Yep - always :)

Ive had a pump 12 years and it's second nature to cap the cannula when I take my pump off to shower or swim. It just feels more hygienic and right to me.
 
No never used it, have wondered what it was for, when I asked at Kings no-one on the team knew!
 
I gather that the uncapped bit of the cannula is a rubber membrane like on an insulin cartridge, so there's no chance of any insulin getting out, or anything getting into it, while it's uncapped - any risk is really a hygiene one, and bugs getting into the cannula that have ended up on the uncapped bung can get through once the tube is reattached. I have only ever swum without a cap once for that reason, and aim to cap it every time in that scenario, but for showering etc I'm not uncomfortable with it being uncapped.

:)
 
Snapsy said:
I gather that the uncapped bit of the cannula is a rubber membrane like on an insulin cartridge, so there's no chance of any insulin getting out, or anything getting into it, while it's uncapped - any risk is really a hygiene one, and bugs getting into the cannula that have ended up on the uncapped bung can get through once the tube is reattached. I have only ever swum without a cap once for that reason, and aim to cap it every time in that scenario, but for showering etc I'm not uncomfortable with it being uncapped.

:)
Click to expand...

I can't see how there can be a rubber membrane in the set on the body. If there were, there would need to be a corresponding needle to pierce it on the end of the tubing. Otherwise we'd be getting no insulin at all. And there's definitely no needle inside my set. There may be some other reason why it's not particularly unsafe to leave it uncapped.


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I have to admit that I haven't ever looked that closely at the sticky-plaster bit of the gubbins (will remember to have a look next time I unstick one when I'm replacing it) so haven't specifically looked for the rubber bung that my DSN mentioned, but the connector bit at the end of my hosepipe has definitely got a visible needle in it.

Will have a closer look at the actually cannula part, where it connects to the tubing, next time I change it (it's around the back at the moment so no chance of looking right now).

:)
 
Snapsy said:
I have to admit that I haven't ever looked that closely at the sticky-plaster bit of the gubbins (will remember to have a look next time I unstick one when I'm replacing it) so haven't specifically looked for the rubber bung that my DSN mentioned, but the connector bit at the end of my hosepipe has definitely got a visible needle in it.

Will have a closer look at the actually cannula part, where it connects to the tubing, next time I change it (it's around the back at the moment so no chance of looking right now).

:)
Click to expand...

Then I think we're just talking different brands, so the cap question may be affected by what brand the OP is using. I'm using Medtronic Minimed Quick-sets. They definitely need capping.


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