Capacity of Rusch DBC

Hi everyone, i just bought a single pump double balloon rectal tube from ruch, but i dont see any description anywhere of the proper capacity of the balloons. Does anyone know where i can find this info?

I have one that comes with a pump from medtech and I believe 4 pumps is the max, not very scientific I know!

My Rusch latex DBC had two balloons of ~250 cc. When I first used it I was more careful and pumped (Black rubber with metal screw valve) about 4-6 times. Eventually I went up to 10-12 as I needed more pressure and better sealing. No problem.

Eric

Thank you both. I actually dont have a black pump, ill be using a large syringe and hemostat.

Perhaps somebody could give the diameter of the inflated balloons, then i can figure out how many millilitres that is?? I definitely dont want to damage it or myself.

thank you!

They're not strictly spherical, so this is not completely accurate, and they have the tube down the middle, but assuming that they are 250=4/3(pi)r^3, solve for r and you get a diameter of about 8cm (radius of about 4cm). If you use inches that is roughly 3" diameter. On top of that that is "nominal 250cc" so things can flex, but for most people a 3" balloon isn't coming out.

I pump my Rusch to 4 or 5 pumps inside and 2 pumps outside. Have to measure it sometime. I don't know what the life extension will be by underpumping, but figure why not (elastomers stretched to maximum last a lot less than those which aren't).

Pulled out the calipers and did some measurement on my Rusch outside balloon. This is in open air and "diameters" that are cross sections at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the catheter.

1 pump: 44mm (flutes not expanded all the way out, this was across the outside of the flutes)

2 pumps: 50mm

3 pumps: 54mm

4 pumps: 58mm