Diagnosis of the cause of malfunction of indwelling catheters for insulin injections by the use of digital fluoroscopy

Abstract

Background. Subcutaneous indwelling catheters are used for reducing pain when injecting insulin and other drugs.¶Objective. To use digital fluoroscopy for the diagnosis of catheter malfunction.¶Material and methods. Seven children (aged 5–11 years) with diabetes mellitus were studied. They used indwelling catheters (Insuflon) for insulin injections. Contrast medium was injected into the problem catheter.¶Results. The subcutaneous position of the catheter was correct in all cases, but we found two cases of delayed absorption caused by lipohypertrophy and one case of leakage.¶Conclusions. Digital fluoroscopy is a useful method for determining potential problems with indwelling catheters.