Osmotic mini-pumps: a convenient program for weight-adjusted filling concentrations.

A BASIC computer program is described which is useful for calculating filling concentrations for ALZET osmotic mini-pumps employed in studies of chronic drug and hormone administration. After the user has entered the required daily dose, the pump parameters and the animals' weights, the program gives the following information: The total quantity of the drug or hormone required for the experiment; the minimum volume and concentration of solution, allowing a 10% margin for error, to serve as a standard that, when diluted, will fill all pumps in the experiment; individual volumes of this solution that, when diluted to a constant volume will yield the required concentrations to fill each of the respective pumps. Use of this program will ensure reliably accurate and very rapid preparations of solutions for mini-pump use.