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Home chemo pump guide

Going home with a chemo pump? It has no battery, no buttons and no alarm; it works on its own, and you only look at the pump three times a day.

Infusion means giving a medicine slowly into a vein.

This guide is general. What your doctor and nurse tell you always comes first.

At the hospital

What is a chemo pump, and what does it do?

A chemo pump is a small device that gives the medicine your doctor prescribed slowly and steadily into a vein, over hours or days.

The pump in this guide is a balloon pump, also called an elastomeric pump or an infuser. It needs no battery or power. It is for single use. Your hospital fills it and connects it, and you are at home while the treatment goes on.

How does chemotherapy at home work?

Your treatment starts at the hospital, and the pump gives the rest at home.

  1. At the hospital, your nurse connects the pump to your port or PICC.
  2. You go home, and the pump gives the medicine on its own.
  3. You look at the pump in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
  4. When the pump is finished, your care team removes it.

Before you leave the hospital, ask your nurse these questions and write the answers on your phone card.

  • When will my pump finish?
  • Who do I call at night and at the weekend?
  • Who removes the pump, and where?
  • Can I shower?

Go to my phone card

How is the pump connected to my port?

Your nurse connects the pump at the hospital. You do not connect or disconnect it yourself.

Drawing of the chest with a port under the skin below the collarbone and a thin tube going to a large vein; in a circle, a close-up of the special needle in the port, the clear dressing and the line going to the pump. thin tube to the vein heart clear dressing special needle port, under the skin line to the pump

A port is a small chamber under the skin. The nurse puts a special needle into it and joins the line to the needle. A PICC (say "pick") is a thin tube that runs from the arm into a large vein; the line joins its end. Both reach the vein through a thin tube called a catheter.

Arriving home

How does a balloon pump work?

A balloon pump gives the medicine using the pressure of the stretchy balloon inside it.

Drawing of the pump standing upright: the balloon inside a clear case with ml marks and a yellow marker, then down the line the filling port, the clamp, the filter and the end connector. 0 25 50 75 100 yellow marker clear case balloon ml marks filling port filter clamp end connector line Drawing of the pump standing upright: the balloon inside a clear case with ml marks and a yellow marker, then down the line the filling port, the clamp, the filter and the end connector. 0 50 100 yellow marker clear case balloon ml marks filling port clamp filter end connector line

The balloon squeezes itself slowly and pushes the medicine through the thin line into your body. The pump is silent and has no alarm, so you look at it yourself now and then. The hospital sets the speed; do not try to change it.

Balloon
Holds the medicine and slowly gets smaller.
Clear case and ml marks
Protects the balloon. The ml marks on it show roughly how much is left. They give only a rough idea.
Yellow marker
The yellow ring on top of the balloon, with a black line in the middle. At the start it is near the top marks. As the medicine goes in, it slowly moves down the marks.
Filling port
Your nurse fills the pump here. It has a cap; leave it closed.
Line
The thin tube that carries the medicine.
Clamp
A small clip. Closing it stops the flow.
Filter
Stops very small particles in the medicine.
Flow controller
A very thin tube inside the line. It keeps the flow steady. It has no button, and you cannot see it.
End connector
Joins the line to your port or PICC.

Your pump may look a little different. Ask your nurse to show you each part on your own pump.

Is my pump working? Is it finished?

If the yellow marker is slowly moving down the ml marks, your pump is working.

Four drawings of the same upright pump over time: the yellow marker near the top at the start, lower later, near the bottom near the end, at the bottom when finished. 0 50 100 at the start yellow marker later near the end finished Four drawings of the same upright pump over time: the yellow marker near the top at the start, lower later, near the bottom near the end, at the bottom when finished. 0 50 100 at the start yellow marker later near the end finished

Hold the pump upright and look at the black line in the middle of the yellow marker: the mark it is level with shows roughly how much medicine is left. At the start it is near the top marks. As the balloon gets smaller, it slowly moves down.

You will not see it move from minute to minute; you see it between morning and evening. Looking in the morning, at midday and in the evening is enough. When the marker is at the bottom and the balloon is thin and flat, the pump is finished.

Call your hospital if the marker moves down much faster than expected, or has not moved at all after several hours.

When will the pump finish?

The pump finishes in the time your doctor set for your treatment; depending on the treatment, this is from some hours to a few days.

Ask your nurse when your pump should finish. If your nurse gave you a time range, go by that range.

Ask your nurse when your pump should finish and write it on your phone card.

Call your hospital if the pump finishes much earlier than you were told, or if the balloon is still full well after the expected time.

During the day

How do I carry the pump?

Carry the pump in the bag or pouch you were given, at about waist height.

Drawing of a person carrying the pump in a bag at waist height, with the line loose. in the bag, at waist height line loose

Height changes the flow. If the pump is much higher than the flow controller on the line, the medicine flows faster; much lower, and it flows more slowly. So do not hang it above your head or leave it on the floor.

Drawing of a person and the pump at three heights: high up it flows faster, at waist height as expected, on the floor slower. high up: faster waist height: as expected on the floor: slower

Let the line hang loose and straight, so it does not catch on your feet or a door handle. Pulling can move your catheter. Your nurse can show you how to tape the line to your skin.

Do not squeeze the pump or put anything heavy on it. Keep scissors, needles and other sharp things away from the line: a hole in it can let air in.

Can you shower with a chemo pump?

Yes, if your nurse says you may. The pump and the connection must stay dry.

Drawing of a shower: water from a hand shower, the pump in a plastic bag on a stool outside the shower. hand shower in a bag, outside the shower
  1. Put the pump in a plastic bag and place it outside the shower, at about waist height.
  2. Cover the catheter site and the dressing with the waterproof cover your nurse recommends.
  3. Use a hand-held shower and aim the water away from the connection and the dressing.
  4. If the dressing gets wet, call your hospital.

Do not get in the bath or swim while the pump is on. Never put the pump or the line in water.

Keep soap, shampoo and alcohol off the filter; it can start to leak. If you are not sure, a wash with a damp cloth is a safe choice.

How do heat and cold affect the pump?

Heat and cold can change the flow, so keep the pump at room temperature.

Drawing of the pump at room temperature, kept away from the sun, a heater and a freezer. sun heater, stove freezer room temperature

The pump's speed was measured at room temperature. Keep it out of direct sun and away from heaters, stoves, radiators, hot water bottles and electric blankets. Do not go into a sauna or a Turkish bath. Do not put it in the freezer, nor in the fridge unless your nurse tells you to.

You may see small drops of water inside the clear case when the temperature changes. They do not stop the pump from working.

At night

How do I sleep with a chemo pump?

Put the pump on the bed next to you, on top of the covers.

Drawing of a person in bed with the pump on the covers beside them and the line loose. on the covers, beside you line loose

Keep it at about the same height as your body. Leave the line loose on the bed, not around your neck or arm and not hanging off the bed. Do not lie on the pump or the line.

On the first night many people wake up a few times to look at the pump. There is no need: the pump keeps working while you sleep.

If something goes wrong

When should I call 112?

Call 112, the emergency number, straight away if you are short of breath, have chest pain, if your face, lips or tongue swell, if bleeding does not stop, or if you faint.

Call 112

When should I call my hospital straight away?

If you notice any of these, call your hospital straight away, even at night.

  • a temperature of 38 °C or higher, or shivering
  • redness, swelling, pain or wetness where the catheter goes in
  • swelling in the arm, shoulder or neck
  • a balloon that is not getting smaller, or is emptying much too fast
  • a leak, or a line that has come apart

Save your hospital's number on this phone

Some things are normal, and you do not need to call. The pump makes no sound. The balloon shrinks slowly, a little faster in the first hour or two. You may see small drops of water inside the clear case. A little medicine is left in the pump at the end.

If you are not sure, call. You are never a bother. Your nurse would rather hear from you.

What if the pump seems to have stopped?

First check the clamp, the line and where the pump is.

Drawing of the pump and line with three questions: is the clamp open, is the line bent, is the pump at waist height. clamp open? line bent? at waist height?
  • Is the clamp open? If it is closed, open it.
  • Is the line bent or trapped? Follow it from the pump to your body and straighten it.
  • Is the pump at waist height and at room temperature? If not, move it back.

If the balloon still does not get smaller, call your hospital. Do not try to open, squeeze or speed up the pump.

What if there is a leak?

If you see wetness on the pump, the line or the connection, close the clamp first. Leaks are rare.

  1. Close the clamp. It is the small clip on the line.

  2. Put on gloves before you touch the wet area. If the hospital gave you a spill kit, use it.

  3. Call your hospital straight away.

If the medicine touches your skin, wash it with plenty of soap and water. If it gets in your eye, rinse with plenty of water and call your hospital.

What if the line (tube) comes out or comes apart?

Close the clamp straight away, then call your hospital.

  1. Close the clamp straight away.

  2. Cover the open end that is still attached to you with clean gauze or a clean cloth. Do not let it touch the floor.

  3. Do not try to reconnect the parts yourself.

  4. Call your hospital straight away.

If the catheter has come out, do not push it back in. If it bleeds, press on it with a clean cloth; if the bleeding does not stop, call 112.

Before you call, have these ready

  • your full name and date of birth
  • which day of treatment it is, and when the pump was connected
  • what you see: the balloon, the line, the dressing, any wetness
  • your temperature, if you can measure it
  • the pump itself, with its label

The last day

How is a chemo pump removed?

Your care team usually removes the pump. Do not remove the pump or the needle yourself unless your team has shown you how.

Drawing of a finished pump with a flat balloon, and the pump going back to the hospital. balloon flat: finished back to the hospital
  1. The balloon is completely flat: the medicine is finished.
  2. Your hospital tells you when and where the pump will be removed.
  3. A nurse removes it.
  4. Do not throw the pump in the household rubbish. Take it back to the hospital, or do as your nurse tells you.

A little medicine always stays in the pump and the line. This is normal.

Do not use or fill the pump again. It is for single use only.

Is your relative at home with a pump?

You help most by looking at the pump together and staying calm. You do not need to watch it all the time.

Drawing of two people on a sofa looking at the pump together. look together

Look together before bed and after waking up: clamp open, line not bent, balloon getting smaller, connection dry. You do not need to wake up at night to check. A small night light lets you see the pump without waking your relative.

What should the people at home take care of?

Some of the medicine leaves the body in urine, stool and vomit. For as long as your nurse tells you, the people at home should do the following.

  • The patient closes the toilet lid before flushing.
  • Wear gloves to clean up urine or vomit.
  • Wash the patient's soiled clothes and sheets separately from other laundry.
  • Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding should not touch the medicine or clean up a leak.
  • Keep the pump and the line out of reach of children and pets.

If there is a leak, follow the three steps above

Look after yourself too. Caring for someone is tiring, so rest when you can and ask others for help. Your questions matter as well; the nurse is there for you too.

What is the difference between a balloon pump and an electronic pump?

Both give the medicine slowly and steadily. A balloon pump has no battery and no alarm; an electronic pump runs on power and usually beeps if there is a problem.

Balloon pump and electronic pump compared
FeatureBalloon pumpElectronic pump
PowerNone. The balloon pushes the medicine.Battery or mains power.
AlarmNone. You look at it yourself.Usually beeps if there is a problem.
SpeedSet by the hospital; you cannot change it.Set by the hospital on a screen.
When it is finishedThe balloon is flat.The screen shows it, often with a beep.
UseSingle use.Used again; the line and bag are new each time.

My phone card

Fill in the card with your nurse and keep it next to the pump.

Hospital and unit
Daytime phone
Night and weekend phone
My nurse
Pump started (day and time)
Expected to finish (day and time)

Emergency: 112

Print this page and fill in the card by hand.

About this guide

Prepared by Melekırmak, from the pump manufacturer's instructions for use and hospital patient leaflets.

Published:
Last updated:

Sources

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