IoT Based Smart IV Drip Stand

Intravenous therapy is a standard method of treatment in hospitals and clinics. However, the intravenous infusion comes with its own set of drawbacks, one of them being reverse flow of blood back into the IV Tube owing to the difference in pressure between the drip chamber and the venous pressure. To address this issue, presently hospitals use a blood pressure cuff tied to the same arm where the infusion is administered, and this cuff inflates when backflow occurs. However, this technique requires constant monitoring and during certain instances cause inflexibility. To resolve this issue and reduce the workload, a prototype of Smart IV Drip Stand has been proposed, which is a load cell based IV Fluid level monitoring system that facilitates prevention of back flow. The proposed prototype also integrates a feature that eases the process of delaying flow-rate adjustment through the addition of a flowrate adjusting mechanism involving servo motors, keypads, and a microprocessor. Once the command is transmitted to the device it maintains the flow rate constant. This prototype is proposed to be a potentially viable support in the health care industry, especially in the developing countries.

I. Introduction

Intravenous infusion is a form of therapy where fluids are infused into the body through the veins. It is the standard method of treatment for individuals in whom food or medication cannot be administered orally. An intravenous (IV) setup consists of drip bottle, drip chamber, a capillary tube, and a roller clamp. The drip bottle is suspended from a stand at a height from the patient. The drip chamber is connected to the bottle at its mouth. The roller clamp facilitates regulation of flow rate which is measured in drops per unit time. The fluid in the drip chamber reaches the patients’ vein because of the pressure difference between the drip chamber and the patients’ venous pressure. Once the volume of liquid in the bottle goes below a certain level, the pressure is reversed causing backflow of blood into the capillary tube which has several adverse effects such as blockage of tube, loss of blood, swelling, infection, hypothermia, and blood leakage. Another severe effect it can have is the entry of air bubbles into the body through the veins which can result in hazardous effects such as heart complications and death.