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Infusion pumps designed to deliver large volumes of liquid medications and other therapeutic solutions usually through intravenous (IV) or epidural routes at pre-established accurate flow rates capable of working in high-pressure conditions (usually up to three absolute atmospheres) such as those present in hyperbaric chambers. These infusion pumps usually consist of a battery-powered pumping mechanism that is not significantly affected by high pressure to move fluid from the solution container through the IV set to the patient. The most common type is the cassette mechanism which periodically fills a compartment from the upstream side and empties to the downstream side. The pumps also include controls to select the dose or volume to be infused, recording capabilities to register the actual infusion volume and rate, and audible and/or visual alarms to indicate abnormal conditions. Some pumps (known as \'smart pumps\') include software capable of detecting medication administration errors (i.e., dose error reduction systems) are also available. Hyperbaric infusion pumps are used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities during procedures performed inside single- or multiple-patient hyperbaric chambers.
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