Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Published · Last updated
On this page
General information, not medical advice. This page describes infusion pump types as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) describes them. It does not tell any patient which pump to use; that decision belongs to the prescribing clinician and the facility or supplier following the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
Overview: the types of IV pumps
The short answer: FDA says there are “many different types of infusion pumps, which are used for a variety of purposes and in a variety of environments,” and it groups them two ways. By purpose: large volume, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), enteral, and insulin pumps. By how they move fluid: syringe, elastomeric, peristaltic, and multi-channel pumps. A separate label, “smart pump,” describes pumps with added safety alerts. Many real products combine a purpose and a mechanism, which is why one device can appear in more than one row below.
FDA also separates pumps by where they are used. Some “are designed mainly for stationary use at a patient’s bedside,” while others, called ambulatory infusion pumps, “are designed to be portable or wearable.” For plain-language definitions of each type, see What Is an IV Infusion Pump?; this page focuses on telling the types apart and on what to confirm before a pump is chosen.
Types of infusion pumps compared
The rows below follow FDA’s descriptions in “What is an Infusion Pump?” and “Infusion Pumps”.
| Type | What it is (FDA wording, condensed) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Large volume | Listed by FDA among the common types; infusion pumps overall can deliver fluids “in large or small amounts” | Hospitals, nursing homes and home are named as settings for infusion pumps in general |
| Syringe pump | Fluid is held in a syringe reservoir and a moveable piston controls delivery | A mechanism |
| Peristaltic pump | A set of rollers pinches a length of flexible tubing and pushes fluid forward | A mechanism |
| Elastomeric pump | Fluid is held in a stretchable balloon reservoir; the elastic walls drive delivery | A mechanism; FDA also describes pumps as electrically or mechanically powered |
| Multi-channel pump | Fluids can be delivered from multiple reservoirs at multiple rates | A capability |
| Enteral pump | Delivers liquid nutrients and medications to the digestive tract | Enteral, not intravenous; see feeding tube pumps |
| PCA pump | Delivers pain medication and has a feature that lets the patient self-administer a controlled amount as needed | Tubing questions: PCA tubing |
| Insulin pump | Typically used to deliver insulin to patients with diabetes; “frequently used in the home” | Described by the fluid delivered (insulin), not by mechanism |
| Ambulatory pump | Designed to be portable or wearable | A use category, not a mechanism; see ambulatory infusion pumps |
| Smart pump | Has safety features such as alerts when the user sets parameters outside specified safety limits, or when there is a risk of an adverse drug interaction | A feature set that can be added to other types |
How to choose by setting
FDA does not rank pumps or recommend one for a setting. What the sources support is a way to organise the conversation with a clinician, biomedical engineering team or supplier.
| Setting | What FDA says that is relevant | Question this raises |
|---|---|---|
| Home care | Infusion pumps are in widespread use “in the home”; insulin pumps are frequently used there; ambulatory pumps are portable or wearable | Is the pump designed to be portable or wearable, and what alerts does it give the person using it? |
| Clinic and nursing home | Nursing homes are named among clinical settings of use; a trained user programs rate and duration through a built-in software interface | Who is trained on this model, and does the interface match what staff already use? |
| Hospital | Some pumps are designed mainly for stationary bedside use; FDA says problems have occurred “across the board” and are not isolated to one manufacturer, pump type or use environment | Which alarms and safety limits are built in, and how are problems reported and tracked? See clinical alarm management programs |
For procurement-oriented comparisons of volumetric, syringe and ambulatory pumps and the sets they use, see Infusion Supplies and Pump Selection.
What to check on the label and instructions for use
- Route and purpose. Confirm whether the device is for intravenous, enteral or insulin delivery. FDA treats these as different purposes.
- Mechanism. Syringe, peristaltic, elastomeric or multi-channel, as the manufacturer states it.
- Power. FDA notes pumps “may be powered electrically or mechanically.”
- Alarms. FDA says some pumps alert users when air or another blockage is detected in the tubing. Ask the manufacturer which alerts a given model has.
- Safety limits. Smart pumps alert when parameters are set outside specified limits. Confirm whether the model has this feature and how limits are set.
- Compatible sets and tubing. The instructions for use name the administration sets the pump is designed for.
- Recall and problem history. FDA provides a searchable database of infusion pump problems and recalls.
Brands and manufacturers
Searches for “types of IV pump brands” are usually looking for manufacturer names. For 2005 through 2009, FDA reports approximately 56,000 adverse event reports and 87 infusion pump recalls, and says they were “not isolated to a specific manufacturer, type of infusion pump, or use environment.” So a brand name is not a safety signal by itself. Compare manufacturers by documents instead: the instructions for use, the alarm list, compatible sets, service arrangements and recall status for the specific model.
Care and replacement
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use for cleaning, inspection and service, and report problems to the manufacturer and through FDA’s reporting channel for infusion pumps. FDA reports that the most common reported problems have been software defects, user interface issues, and mechanical or electrical failures.
Frequently asked questions
What are the types of IV pumps?
FDA names large volume, PCA, elastomeric, syringe, enteral and insulin pumps, and describes peristaltic and multi-channel mechanisms. Smart pumps add safety alerts. See the comparison table above.
What are the types of infusion pumps by where they are used?
FDA distinguishes pumps designed mainly for stationary bedside use from ambulatory pumps designed to be portable or wearable.
What are the types of IV pump brands?
FDA does not rank or list brands. It reports that problems were not isolated to one manufacturer. Compare a specific model’s instructions for use, alarms, compatible sets and recall record rather than relying on a brand name.
Is a syringe pump the same as a peristaltic pump?
No. In a syringe pump a piston moves fluid out of a syringe; in a peristaltic pump rollers pinch flexible tubing to push fluid forward.
Is a smart pump a separate type?
FDA describes “smart” as a feature set, alerts for parameters outside safety limits or a risk of adverse drug interaction, rather than a distinct mechanism.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “What is an Infusion Pump?” https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/infusion-pumps/what-infusion-pump (content current as of 12/13/2017; last checked 2026-11-01).
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Infusion Pumps.” https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/general-hospital-devices-and-supplies/infusion-pumps (content current as of 08/22/2018; last checked 2026-11-01).
