Minnesota IV Infiltration Lawyer
Most people know what an intravenous (IV) line is, but they are not as familiar with IV infiltration. Patients often need an IV line when they are admitted into the hospital because they need to replenish their fluids, or they need medication administered to them on an ongoing basis. IV lines are also used to deliver blood and other fluids in some cases. Sometimes, outpatient facilities and doctors’ offices also use IV lines.
All doctors and nurses must know how to insert an IV line or patients can suffer serious harm. Inserting an IV is not as easy as many people think, which is why it takes specialized knowledge to know how to do it properly. Unfortunately, IVs are not always placed properly. When that is the case, it is important to speak to a Minnesota IV infiltration lawyer that can advise on whether you have a valid medical malpractice claim.
What is IV Infiltration?
To understand how IV infiltration occurs, you must first understand how IVs work. First, a needle is inserted into the vein. A catheter is then placed over the needle and the needle is removed. The process is fairly simple, but things can go wrong and nurses and other hospital staff must do everything they can to prevent a mistake. IV infiltration occurs when the liquid in the IV, which is meant to enter a vein, leeches out into different areas of the body.
IV infiltration can cause a number of different injuries. These include skin blistering, ulceration, and burns. Patients may also feel pain around the site of the IV, such as redness, swelling, and burning. Severe scarring can occur in the area where the medication contacts the skin, and permanent nerve damage can result. In some cases, a patient may suffer from impairment or diminished use of the affected extremity. In the most severe cases, amputation is sometimes even required.
What Causes IV Infiltration?
Most cases of IV infiltration are caused by negligent nurses and other medical personnel. The main forms this negligence takes commonly include:
- Defective or damaged IV catheters
- Pressure or friction from movement that results in the catheter moving, causing erosion in the vein
- Using an IV flow rate that is too high
- Failing to confirm the vein has not ruptured
- Repeatedly trying to insert the IV, which damages the tissue and vein surrounding it
- Failing to properly monitor the patient and the IV line after insertion
- Inserting the IV improperly
- Using an oversized or incorrect catheter
When the above examples of negligence, or any other, results in injury, victims should speak to a Minnesota IV infiltration lawyer.
Call Our IV Infiltration Lawyer in Minnesota for a Free Consultation
If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of medical negligence, our Minnesota IV infiltration lawyer can help you claim the full compensation you deserve. At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, our skilled attorneys are dedicated to helping victims of medical malpractice and we will put that experience to work for you. Call us today or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
