Faulty trusteel cannula connection? Can't fill tubing

[EllieM]

I've had this happen twice in the last month (I suspect a faulty batch of cannulas /cannulae).

Basically when I do a set change and connect the new cannula to my pump (tandem tslim) to fill it, no insulin comes through the tubing.
The first time this happened I disconnected the tubing from the pump and then reconnected it, and it then worked. The second time this didn't work and tandem support told me to use a new cannula.

Has anyone else had this happen? Is it a known issue?

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @EllieM Also a T Slim and Trusteel user, haven't had this happen also not heard of it happening before, was the issue with the cartridge or the tubing do you think ?

 

[EllieM]

Hi @EllieM Also a T Slim and Trusteel user, haven't had this happen also not heard of it happening before, was the issue with the cartridge or the tubing do you think ?

I think it was the connection between the cartridge and the tubing. The first time I undid and reconnected the tubing to the cartridge and insulin then flowed through. The second time it made no difference and I had to take out a new cannula and connect it to the cartridge. It then worked.

 

[Juicyj]

It's odd it's happened twice, perhaps a faulty batch ? have been on t slim coming up for 3 years and the only issue i've had is an occlusion issue with novorapid and that's happened twice, so each time i've disconnected and done a 'fill tubing' which has enabled the insulin to flow but when i've connected it back to the set on my body it's been blocked and had an alarm go off, it was a nightmare as both times I was away from home and had to drive home to change the entire set, fortunately I levelled off at 18 mmol/l and got back down fairly quickly.

 

[sninge]

Hi Ellie,
I also use the tslim with trusteel but ive never had an issue with them.
My first pump had a fault where I had a lot of occlusions, say around 2 a week, when I changed the cartridges it almost always pulled the washer out of the cartridge, it was obviously a problem with the plunger but it took a while before they agreed to take the pump back, I had to try different batches of cartridges first and keep reporting. Eventually they sent a new pump, in about 9 months I think ive only had 2-3 occlusions.
I hope your problem will resolve now and is just a dodgy batch.

 

[EllieM]

Customer support suggested it was a faulty batch and I think this is plausible. They noted down the batch number on the second, I didn't report the first as it fixed itself and I didn't have phone reception at the time.
Luckily I've finished that batch now.