Intramuscular injection is the most common and easiest way to administer drugs. However, if performed incorrectly, complications of intramuscular injections may occur, which can be avoided if the manipulation is performed correctly.
Features of the procedure
Before the injection, careful preparation is necessary. It will not only allow you to competently make an injection, but also reduce the risk of complications. It’s worth starting with theoretical skills that allow you to deliver intramuscular injections. How to make an injection in the buttock and thigh? For convenience, the entire manipulation is conditionally divided into stages.
Stage 1. Preparation of equipment for injection. Prepare a syringe, drugs, alcohol and 4 cotton balls or disposable alcohol wipes. You will definitely need a container in which the cotton wool and syringe will be placed before and after the injection.
Stage 2. The ampoule is decontaminated and a setmedication. An ampoule with medicine is taken and the inscription is carefully read, the volume, dosage, expiration date are checked. Then an alcohol wipe is taken and the ampoule is wiped with it at the place of opening. Next comes the medicine. During this, it is necessary to ensure that the needle does not touch the walls of the ampoule. After removing the needle from the ampoule, a cap is put on it.
Stage 3. An alcohol wipe is taken and the injection site is treated with it, the direction from the center to the periphery. Then another napkin is taken, another treatment of the injection site is carried out, but of a smaller diameter. This is necessary so that there are no complications of intramuscular injections in the form of inflammation.
Stage 4. A syringe is taken, the needle rises up and, without removing the cap, air is released from it. Then the cap is removed and with a sharp movement, at a right angle, an injection is performed. The drugs are administered slowly, with the same pressure on the syringe plunger.
Step 5. After the drug is injected, the needle is sharply removed, an alcohol wipe is applied to the injection site.
Where to inject
To avoid complications, it is not enough to know exactly how intramuscular injections are carried out, how to do it correctly in the thigh, buttock - this is no less important.
To perform an injection in the buttock, it is necessary to "divide" it into four squares. The injection is made in the upper outer square.
For an injection into the thigh, its front surface is also divided into four parts. The injection is made in the outer upper corner.
If the procedure is not performed correctly, various complications of intramuscular injections occur.
Infiltration
Signs of pathology are the presence of compaction and severe pain at the injection site. Infiltrates occur due to a violation of the method of administration of drugs, when using subcooled oil solutions, as well as with multiple injections in the same place.
In order to avoid infiltration, it is necessary to carefully choose the injection site, alternate the buttocks, and also monitor the temperature of the injected drugs and perform the manipulation correctly.
If there are complications of intramuscular injections in the form of an infiltrate, then you should apply a heating pad to the sore spot or make a warm compress. The iodine mesh helps to speed up the resorption of the seal.
Abscess
If you violate the rules of asepsis, an abscess appears. This is an inflammation of a purulent nature, which has a clear boundary. Signs of pathology are pain, reddening of the skin over the abscess with a clear border, and fever.
To avoid the appearance of an abscess, it is necessary to follow the rules of asepsis. However, in cases where a complication has arisen, surgical treatment is prescribed by opening and draining the cavity.
Needle breakage
In rare cases, post-injection complications with intramuscular injections can be triggered by a broken needle. This is due to the strongmuscle spasm during the procedure, due to a poor-quality needle, and also due to the introduction of the needle to the cannula itself. To avoid breakage of the needle, it is injected into the tissue to a depth of no more than 2/3 of its length. During the procedure, the patient must lie down.
If the needle is broken, then tweezers are used to remove it. There are times when a chip goes too deep into the tissue and cannot be reached. In this case, surgical extraction is performed.
Emboli
Another possible complication of intramuscular injection is air and oil embolism. The signs of pathology are similar. During the procedure, oil or air enters the vessel and with the blood flow reaches the pulmonary vessels. As a result, suffocation occurs, leading to the death of the patient.
Oil embolism occurs when a solution enters a vessel during intramuscular injection. To avoid this, during the injection, the solution should be administered in a two-stage way.
Prevention of air embolism helps to follow the rules for the introduction of drugs in / m, namely, carefully expel air from the syringe.
Nerve damage
If the injection site is chosen incorrectly or when the needle passes near the nerve trunk, neuritis or paralysis of the limb may occur. To prevent this from happening, you need to carefully choose injection sites.
Hematoma
Inaccurate intramuscular injection can cause a hematoma. Prevention of education is the use of sharp needles for intramuscular injection and compliance with manipulation techniques.
Treatment of complicationsintramuscular injections in the form of hematomas occurs by applying an alcohol compress to the injection site. To speed up the resorption of the hematoma, you can apply various ointments recommended by your doctor.
When performing an intramuscular injection, it is necessary not only to know the theory of the manipulation itself, but also to be able to apply this knowledge in practice. Compliance with all norms will avoid complications.
