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A peristaltic pump is a pump that moves fluid by squeezing flexible tubing in a repeating pattern. Rollers or a rotating mechanism compress the tubing and push fluid forward. In healthcare, peristaltic pumps may be used in infusion devices, dialysis equipment, laboratory systems, enteral feeding, or fluid-handling setups. The fluid stays inside the tubing, which helps reduce contact with pump parts.
read more about peristaltic pump ...A peristaltic pump is used when fluids need to be moved at a controlled rate. It can deliver medications, nutrition, blood-processing fluids, dialysis solutions, or laboratory reagents depending on the device. Medical infusion pumps may use peristaltic mechanisms to deliver fluids into the body in measured amounts. The pump type and settings must match the fluid, route, and clinical purpose.
The pump has rollers, fingers, or a compression mechanism that presses against flexible tubing. As the mechanism moves, it pushes a pocket of fluid through the tube. When the tubing rebounds, it draws more fluid into the next section. Flow rate depends on tubing size, pump speed, calibration, pressure, and fluid properties.
Peristaltic pumps can be rotary, linear, small-volume, large-volume, laboratory, infusion, feeding, or industrial designs. Some are built into medical infusion pumps, while others are part of dialysis or perfusion systems. Disposable tubing sets are common when sterility or contamination control matters. The selected pump depends on required flow rate, accuracy, pressure, and fluid compatibility.
Peristaltic pump problems can cause under-infusion, over-infusion, occlusion, air-in-line alarms, tubing wear, leaks, or inaccurate flow. Tubing must be loaded correctly and replaced according to instructions. Pumps need cleaning, maintenance, calibration checks, and alarm response according to the device policy. Swelling at an IV site, unexpected symptoms, alarms, or visible tubing damage should be addressed promptly.
The pump mechanism usually touches only the outside of the tubing. The fluid stays inside the tubing pathway.
Some infusion pumps use peristaltic pumping, but not every peristaltic pump is an infusion pump. Peristaltic pumps are also used in feeding, dialysis, and lab systems.
Some designs can reverse direction if built and programmed to do so. Medical use should follow device settings and clinical instructions.
Tubing size, elasticity, wear, and correct loading affect accuracy and safety. Wrong or worn tubing can change flow rate or cause pump failure.
21 CFR 880.5725: Infusion pump. eCFR. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-880/subpart-F/section-880.5725. Date Accessed June 18, 2026.
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A novel roller pump for physiological flow. PubMed Central. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7496437/. Date Accessed June 18, 2026.