Can extravasation cause tissue damage?

Extravasation occurs when a vesicant drug leaks out of the vein and into the surrounding tissue. When this happens, a person will likely experience serious tissue damage, including ulceration and tissue death, if they do not receive treatment in time.

How does the immune system respond to injury?

When an injury occurs, the cells of our immune system immediately travel to the site of injury or irritation and the inflammatory response begins. This includes widening of local blood vessels to allow fluid and immune cells into surrounding injured tissue, which causes swelling, redness, warmth and pain at the site.

What causes extravasation injury?

Extravasation may occur due to either the cannula piercing the vessel wall or from increased venous pressure that causes leakage around the original venepuncture site.

Does extravasation cause tissue necrosis?

Extravasation is the unintentional leakage of medications from the vein into the perivascular space and should be treated as a medical emergency. Although most cases of extravasation will not cause significant injury, severe tissue necrosis can occur.

Which of the following is a patient related risk factor for increased tissue damage in extravasation?

Risk factors for extravasation from peripheral veins include the presence of small and/or fragile veins, obesity, multiple previous venipunctures, presence of disseminated skin diseases (e.g. eczema or psoriasis), patient movement, and prior treatment.

When tissue is damaged is the inflammatory response activated?

When tissues are damaged, the inflammatory response is initiated, and the immune system becomes mobilized. The immune cells of the innate immune system (i.e., neutrophils and eosinophils) are the first recruited to the site of tissue injury or damage via blood vessels and lymphatic system, followed by macrophages.

How does the immune system react to inflammation?

Your immune system sends out its first responders: inflammatory cells and cytokines (substances that stimulate more inflammatory cells). These cells begin an inflammatory response to trap bacteria and other offending agents or start healing injured tissue. The result can be pain, swelling, bruising or redness.

What is an extravasation injury?

Listen to pronunciation. (ek-STRA-vuh-SAY-shun IN-jer-ee) Blistering and tissue damage caused by certain drugs when they leak out of a vein into the tissue around it. The damage is sometimes severe and can lead to tissue necrosis (tissue death).

How is extravasation different from infiltration?

The difference between an infiltration and extravasation is the type of medicine or fluid that is leaked. Infiltration – if the fluid is a non-vesicant (does not irritate tissue), it is called an infiltration. Extravasation – if the fluid is a vesicant (a fluid that irritates tissue), it is called an extravasation.

How does the immune system response to inflammation?