A functional test for the detection of infusion lines extravasation

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Oncology
• Respiratory Physiology

Background:

• Extravasation during intravenous (IV) infusion is a frequent complication.
• Difficulty confirming correct IV needle placement, especially without blood return, poses clinical challenges.
• Serious clinical consequences can arise from undetected extravasation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel method for detecting extravasation during infusion therapy.
• To confirm the absence of extravasation by analyzing exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2).
• To assess the efficacy of the proposed method in oncology patients.

Main Methods:

• Administration of a small volume of sodium bicarbonate solution intravenously.
• Monitoring and analysis of exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) signals using a pattern recognition algorithm.
• Utilizing the rapid release of CO2 from bicarbonate dissociation to confirm IV placement.

Main Results:

• The pattern recognition algorithm robustly detected CO2 excess release, indicating absence of extravasation.
• The method was applied to a cohort of 89 oncology patients.
• Initial results demonstrated the feasibility of the CO2 detection method.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method offers a reliable way to detect IV extravasation.
• Monitoring exhaled CO2 provides a non-invasive confirmation of correct IV needle positioning.
• This technique has potential to improve patient safety during infusion therapy, particularly in oncology.