Diabetic Insulin Pumps & Infections

An insulin pump used for treating diabetes has a small needle or cannula that is inserted under the skin. These injection sites are subject to infection the same as any other procedure that breaks the skin. Persons who use insulin pumps often refer to the redness and at the insertion sites as "pump bumps". Any redness or swelling associated with the needle or cannula insertion site should be checked by your doctor, as the infection could progress and worsen.

Causes of Infection

• Infection at the insertion site can be caused by a number of things including bacteria from your own hands, bacteria already on the skin, the equipment coming into contact with surfaces contaminated with bacteria, or even your own breath. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacteria associated with skin infections. Any redness or swelling at an insertion site should be considered an infection and treated as so until proven otherwise.

Signs and Symptoms

• Minor redness or bumps at the insertion site is a common occurrence. If the infection becomes more serious, cellulitis or an abscess may occur. Cellulitis is redness, swelling and pain that spreads outward from the insertion site, and involves the underlying layers of skin. An abscess is a pus pocket that forms around the insertion site. The area may become red, swollen and warm to the touch. A more serious and dangerous symptom of infection presents itself as shortness of breath, fever, and chills.

Treatment

• Minor redness at the insertion site may respond well to daily washing with an antibacterial soap and water and a topical antibiotic recommended by your doctor. An abscess may require an incision to drain the pus out of it, and it may require packing to ensure that it heals properly. Oral antibiotics will probably be prescribed as well as a topical antibiotic for use during dressing changes. Warm moist compresses may be used to promote healing and provide comfort. Serious symptoms should be addressed immediately by either calling your doctor, or going to the nearest emergency department.

Prevention/Solution

• One of the best ways to prevent infection at the insulin pump insertion site is to make sure to use sterile technique at each application. The skin surrounding the proposed insertion site should be thoroughly washed, dried and cleaned with the prescribed disinfectant solution. Make sure not to touch the needle, cannula, tubing end, infusion set connections or the top of the cleaned insulin bottle when changing infusion sites. An occlusive dressing such as Tegaderm should be used to cover the needle or cannula to hold it in place and prevent outside contamination from bacteria.

Warnings

• Under no circumstances should any sign of inflammation or infection be ignored. Minor infections can become major infections in only a few hours. For any sign of possible infection, notify your physician immediately for instructions on how to treat this problem.