ADVERSE EFFECTS IDENTIFIED AT THE LOCATION OF PERIPHERAL INTRAVENOUS INFUSION BY CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS

Abstract

The intravenous system is one of the main chemotherapy administration routes and requires special care to prevent extravasations. This study aims to verify the incidence of local changes in the venous network of cancer patients under chemotherapy. This observational and longitudinal study involves 15 patients over 18 years old, 11 of whom were women. Twenty venous punctures were observed, mostly in the superior limbs (n=19). Before chemotherapy, the access location was found intact (n=18), tortuous venous system (n=11) of small caliber (n=11). Most punctures were performed by nurses, using a peripheral intravenous device with a rigid needle (n=19), caliber 23 (n=12). During the puncture, there was verbalization of pain (n=2), burning (n=3) and stinging (n=1) along the venous pathway; erythema (n=1), edema (n=5) and extravasation (n=3) were observed as local manifestations. Immediately after the removal of the infusion device, erythema (n=3) and hematoma
(n=1) were observed. Later on, hematoma (n=5), erythema (n=2), phlebosclerosis (n=2) and verbalization of pain in the infusion site (n=1) occurred. Identifying the adverse effects related to the peripheral intravenous infusion of chemotherapy makes it possible to develop nursing care strategies that can reduce and prevent this damage in patients.