Complications after intravenous injections can be both minor and quite serious. The consequences depend only on the qualifications of medical personnel. An experienced nurse usually does not make serious mistakes, but she is not immune from minor oversights either. So what can happen, what are the complications from intravenous injections and how should the patient act in these situations?
Why are intravenous injections prescribed
In medicine, the term "intravenous injection" has a synonym - "venipuncture". This is the introduction of a hollow needle through the skin into the lumen of a vein. This manipulation is assigned in the following cases:
- when medicines need to be injected into a vein;
- when a patient needs a transfusion of blood or blood substitutes;
- when you need to take a blood test or perform a blood draw.
Otherwisethe patient is prescribed intramuscular injections.
If something went wrong
If an intravenous injection is unsuccessfully performed by a he alth worker, complications can be as follows:
- a bruise, or rather, a hematoma in the injection area;
- bloating at the venipuncture site;
- thrombosis and inflammation of the venous wall (thrombophlebitis);
- oil embolism;
- air embolism.
There is another complication that does not depend on the skill of the nurse. This is an allergic reaction.
Injection hematoma
A bruise at the site of a vein puncture appears quite often. This means that the intravenous injection, the complications of which are discussed here, was performed incorrectly. Most likely, the needle pierced both walls of the vein through and through. But sometimes a hematoma appears even with the correct manipulation. This happens if the patient ignored the recommendations and did not press the injection site for several minutes.
If a he althcare worker sees that a hematoma is forming at the venipuncture site, then he usually acts as follows:
- stops injecting medication into an injured vein;
- takes out needle;
- presses the injection site with a sterile cotton ball dipped in a disinfectant solution;
- applies a warm compress or heparin ointment to the failed injection site.
Only afterof this, taking a new syringe, the nurse will repeat the venipuncture in another vein.
Traditional medicine in case of a hematoma at the site of intravenous injection recommends a cabbage leaf compress.
Tissue swelling after injection
If an intravenous injection was not administered correctly, complications may appear as swelling around the injection site. This means that the needle did not enter the lumen of the vein or left it. As a result of this error, the drug enters the surrounding subcutaneous tissue. In this case, the he alth worker does not remove the needle, but first draws out the injected liquid with a syringe. Next, the injection site should be pressed with a cotton ball, and only then remove the needle.
If calcium chloride or radiopaque agents were administered intravenously, tissue necrosis may begin at the site of swelling. In this case, the he alth worker should stop the administration of the drug, quickly remove the needle and prick the affected area with the drug recommended by the doctor. Usually it is a solution of adrenaline or novocaine. A pressure bandage and cold are applied over the affected area. On the third day, half-alcohol compresses can be applied.
Thrombophlebitis
As a result of improper administration of the drug during venipuncture, inflammation of the inner walls of the vessel may develop, followed by the formation of a thrombus in the lumen of the vein. This disease is called thrombophlebitis. Such a problem may arise if certain drugs are quickly introduced (calcium chloride, Doxycycline, glucose). What to do,to avoid after intravenous injection complications? Prevention and strict adherence to the procedure algorithm is what the medical staff should pay attention to.
In order not to provoke the appearance of thrombophlebitis, you need to remember that you can not put intravenous injections often in one vein. In addition, you should choose a syringe with a sharp needle, since a blunt one injures tissues more.
Symptoms of thrombophlebitis are manifested in the form of pain at the injection site, hyperemia of the skin and accumulation of infiltrate in the area of the vein. There may be a low temperature. The patient must be examined by a doctor. He may prescribe a heparin ointment for compresses and will most likely recommend limiting the movement of the limb.
Oil and air embolism
There are far more complex problems that can be triggered by an incorrectly administered intravenous injection. Possible complications can even threaten the life of the patient. This is an oil embolism. Just in case, let's decipher what this term means. An embolism is a blockage of blood vessels by small foreign emboli (particles) or gas bubbles. The lymph and blood carry these particles or bubbles.
Complications of intravenous injections, which are called oil embolism, can only occur when an oil preparation is mistakenly injected into a vessel, if the needle accidentally enters its lumen during intramuscular injection. Intravenous oil solutions are never prescribed! Oil emboli gradually enter the arteries andclog it, disrupting the nutrition of tissues. As a result, necrosis develops. The skin at the same time swells, reddens or becomes red-bluish. Local and general temperatures rise. If the oil particles are in the vein, they drift into the pulmonary vessels. As a result, the patient has an attack of suffocation, he begins to cough, the upper half of the body turns blue, and chest tightness is felt.
All methods of treatment of this complication are aimed at eliminating blockage of the vascular lumens. It is impossible to self-medicate with this problem categorically! If the oil solution is incorrectly administered at home, the patient is rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
Medical personnel must understand that they have a serious responsibility when administering oily solutions. Injection complications and their prevention are covered and studied in all medical schools.
Air embolism can occur if the he alth worker does not remove the air bubble from the syringe before venipuncture. Signs of this complication appear much faster than with oil embolism.
Intravenous injections, the complications of which are rather unpleasant and sometimes deadly, are aimed at helping the patient. They are appointed as needed, and you should not be afraid of these appointments. It is important not to trust self-taught manipulations, but to use the services of qualified nurses.
