What does extravasation refer to in IV chemotherapy?

What does extravasation refer to in IV chemotherapy?

• A. Infiltration of drugs into tissue surrounding the infusion site causing local tissue damage
• B. Leakage of IV fluid outside the vein causing systemic infection
• C. Accidental arterial puncture
• D. None of the above

Answer: (A)

Extravasation is the leakage of a vesicant chemotherapy drug from the vein into the surrounding tissue, causing local tissue injury. This is what makes the situation dangerous, because vesicants can blister, inflame, and even necrotize tissue at the infusion site. The key point is that the damage is local, not systemic. The option that describes drugs infiltrating into tissue around the infusion site with local tissue damage captures this scenario, which is why it’s the best choice. The other options describe different problems—systemic infection from IV leakage, or an arterial puncture—things that are not about vesicant leakage causing local tissue injury.

Extravasation is the leakage of a vesicant chemotherapy drug from the vein into the surrounding tissue, causing local tissue injury. This is what makes the situation dangerous, because vesicants can blister, inflame, and even necrotize tissue at the infusion site. The key point is that the damage is local, not systemic. The option that describes drugs infiltrating into tissue around the infusion site with local tissue damage captures this scenario, which is why it’s the best choice. The other options describe different problems—systemic infection from IV leakage, or an arterial puncture—things that are not about vesicant leakage causing local tissue injury.