Extravasation Management
Introduction Extravasattion refers to unintentional or inadvertent leakage (or instillation) of fluid out of a blood vessel into surrounding tissue. A variety of symptoms, including erythema, ulceration, pain, tissue sloughing, and necrosis, are possible. A variety of drugs have been reported to cause tissue damage if extravasated. Irritant - An agent that causes aching, tightness, and phlebitis with or without inflammation, but does not typically cause tissue necrosis. Irritants can cause necrosis if the extravasation is severe or left untreated. Vesicant - An agent that has the potential to cause blistering, severe tissue injury, or tissue necrosis when extravasated. Can be further classified into DNA binding and non-DNA binding. Initial Management Stop the infusion: At the first suspicion of extravasation, the drug infusion and IV fluids should be stopped. Do NOT remove the catheter/needle: The IV tubing should be disconnected, but the catheter/needle should be left in place...