Pen (syringe)

Insulin pens (disposable pre-filled pens)

Pen ( engl . Pin ) is the name for an injection tool in the form of a thick pen, for easy the injection is of a medicament of a preset amount. Typical application is insulin therapy for diabetes mellitus . Insulin pens are easier to transport and less noticeable to use than insulin from a conventional injection syringe . They are now the most widely used system for injecting insulin, except in the United States.

Types

The most common are pens with an exchangeable medication cartridge .

For patients who are afraid of syringes, semi-automatic pens are available in which the needle is pierced by a spring after it has been placed on the skin. See also auto-injector .

Disposable pens contain a non-exchangeable, filled ampoule. Depending on the manufacturer, this can deliver the drug in dose steps of one or two units (for insulin) or in predetermined doses (e.g. growth hormones).

So far, needle-free injection systems have not been able to establish themselves. In these systems, the active ingredient is pressed into the tissue at high speed by means of a gas or high pressure through the hairline openings of a special ampoule. The handling of these systems is more complex, freedom from pain is not guaranteed, and clinical studies that show that the effect is equivalent to conventional systems are not available. The systems are not listed in the 2011 list of statutory health insurance aids .

construction

The front of the pen-shaped housing has an exchangeable cap with a short cannula . At the end of the pen there is a rotating ring and a display window for setting the dose. The ring ends in a push button. In the case there is an ampoule with mostly three milliliters of insulin.

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  Semi-automatic insulin pen with exchangeable ampoule

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  Disassembled insulin pen as when changing an ampoule with an insulin ampoule

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  Sterile packed cannula for an insulin pen

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Needle-Free Insulin Injection Systems - A Significant Advancement in Insulin Therapy? , German Diabetes Research Institute Düsseldorf, updated page from February 12, 2010, accessed on May 10, 2011

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