Intravenous infusion: Difference between revisions

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In [[medicine]], '''intravenous infusions''' are "long-term (minutes to hours) administration of a fluid into the vein through venipuncture, either by letting the fluid flow by gravity or by pumping it."<ref>{{MeSH|Intravenous infusions}}</ref>
In [[medicine]], '''intravenous infusions''' are "long-term (minutes to hours) administration of a fluid into the vein through venipuncture, either by letting the fluid flow by gravity or by pumping it."<ref>{{MeSH|Intravenous infusions}}</ref>
==Technique and equipment==
While it is possible to maintain an intravenous (IV) infusion through a well-secured hypodermic needle, the general practice is to use a flexible catheter. There are two basic types, catheter-over-needle and catheter-in-needle.


For routine infusion in adults, the needle gauge -- the larger the number, the smaller the diameter -- is 18 or 20 gauge.  In critical care or emergency situations, "large bore" access (16 or 14 gauge) is needed to transfer large volumes; multiple large-bore accesses often are established very early in trauma, since veins may not be accessible with fluid loss and declining blood pressure.
===Insertion===
===Cutdown===
A variation on the needle technique is a "cutdown", where a catheter is introduced through a small incision.
==Adverse effects==
==Adverse effects==
Complications are not reduced by routinely changing catheters.<ref name="pmid20238356">{{cite journal| author=Webster J, Osborne S, Rickard C, Hall J| title=Clinically-indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters. | journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev | year= 2010 | volume= 3 | issue=  | pages= CD007798 | pmid=20238356  
Complications are not reduced by routinely changing catheters.<ref name="pmid20238356">{{cite journal| author=Webster J, Osborne S, Rickard C, Hall J| title=Clinically-indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters. | journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev | year= 2010 | volume= 3 | issue=  | pages= CD007798 | pmid=20238356  

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In medicine, intravenous infusions are "long-term (minutes to hours) administration of a fluid into the vein through venipuncture, either by letting the fluid flow by gravity or by pumping it."[1]

Technique and equipment

While it is possible to maintain an intravenous (IV) infusion through a well-secured hypodermic needle, the general practice is to use a flexible catheter. There are two basic types, catheter-over-needle and catheter-in-needle.

For routine infusion in adults, the needle gauge -- the larger the number, the smaller the diameter -- is 18 or 20 gauge. In critical care or emergency situations, "large bore" access (16 or 14 gauge) is needed to transfer large volumes; multiple large-bore accesses often are established very early in trauma, since veins may not be accessible with fluid loss and declining blood pressure.

Insertion

Cutdown

A variation on the needle technique is a "cutdown", where a catheter is introduced through a small incision.

Adverse effects

Complications are not reduced by routinely changing catheters.[2]

References