Combined volume control set-piggyback system for intermittent intravenous therapy.

A new method for intermittent administration of i.v. fluids which maintains the advantages of the piggyback system but at a lower cost than the piggyback system is described. The system uses a volume control chamber as a replacement for a minibag or minibottle to deliver doses of different medications. The volume control set, when attached in the prescribed fashion, permits the flow from the primary i.v. solution to resume automatically when the volume control chamber is empty. One large-volume container of i.v. fluid can be used to dilute many doses of different drugs in the volume control chamber rather than one small-volume container per dose. No significant difficulties have been encountered with the mechanics of the system, and nursing response has been favorable.