Risk factors - the disease

Cancer

Veins of people receiving chemotherapy are often fragile, mobile, and difficult to cannulate. 24, 36

Patients who receive chemotherapy at the same site as radiotherapy may experience a reactivation of skin toxicity known as 'recall' phenomenon.4, 14, 30, 34, 39, 48-58

Patients who have had an extravasation and recieve further chemotherapy in a different site may experience an exacerbation of tissue damage in the original site.

Radical mastectomy, axillary surgery or lymph node dissection may impair circulation in a particular limb. This reduces venous flow and may allow intravenous solutions to pool and leak around the site of cannulation. 45

Peripheral Vascular Disease 18, 22, 36, 45, 59

Atherosclerosis may cause a reduction in venous flow with risk of leakage at the intravenous site.
Patients may also be debilitated with reduced tissue and venous tone.

Raynaud's Phenomenon 16, 18, 32

Arterial spasm may compromise peripheral circulation and reduce venous flow.

Diabetes 16, 18, 32, 36

Patients with peripheral neuropathy may not experience the pain of an infusate leaking into the subcutaneous tissues.

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome 36, 60

These patients have elevated venous pressure which may predispose to leakage at the intravenous site.

Repeated Intravenous Infusions and/or Injections 14, 26, 33, 36

These may thrombose vessels and limit the number of accessible veins.
Substance abusers may be particular risk.

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This page last updated 30/6/2007