Setting up a drip for intravenous administration of drugs

Placement of an IV (price does not include medications)

1000 rub.

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Execution time: 1 working day

Placing a drip for intravenous infusion is a medical procedure for introducing vasoconstrictor and antibacterial compounds, plasma expanders, corticosteroids and many other medications into the patient’s circulatory system.

With the help of a dropper, doctors can introduce medicine directly into the patient's body, bypassing the digestive system. Entering the blood immediately, the solution begins to act immediately. The technique is very relevant for patients with exacerbation of bronchial asthma, stroke or heart attack, with various ailments, including severe dehydration.

The Raduga Clinic offers patients IV drips on an outpatient basis in St. Petersburg at affordable prices. The procedure is carried out by experienced clinic staff who will make the placement of an IV and intravenous administration of medications more comfortable.

Features of the introduction of a dropper

The design of the dropper is quite simple - it is a plastic device that includes a tube with a valve to regulate the intensity of the drug supply. Before starting the procedure, a special bottle is filled with the composition prescribed for the patient, one end of the dropper is inserted into it and fixed on an iron stand. The second end with a needle is inserted into the patient’s vein, determining the optimal rate of delivery of the medicine. This allows medications to enter the bloodstream as quickly as possible.

A clinic employee inserts an IV needle into the lumen of a venous vessel, usually the cubital vein is used for this. In clinically difficult situations, any other venous vessel that is most accessible can be used.

The advantages of an intravenous drip include the fact that the drug enters the body in small doses and gradually. This ensures its constant, uniform concentration in the blood, increasing the effectiveness of the procedure. At the same time, various side effects are reduced.

Attention!
Only a doctor can prescribe intravenous drips of medications!
Self-medication in this case is unacceptable. It is not recommended to install an IV yourself, since if the process is not followed, an infection may enter the patient’s body or air bubbles may enter the veins, which can lead to serious consequences.

What kind of IVs are used?

The administration of drugs intravenously is a complex and even dangerous process, since chemicals immediately enter the bloodstream and can reach vital organs in a matter of seconds. Therefore, before placing an IV, you should make sure that the patient has no contraindications.

The following types of droppers are distinguished:

1. Antianemic. They are prescribed so that a person can recover faster after a long illness or major blood loss.
2. Detoxifying. The main purpose of prescribing such an infusion is to cleanse the body of toxic substances accumulated in it. Such droppers can be placed at home to overcome a hangover and cope with poisoning.
3. Anticholesterol. The main task is to stabilize lipid metabolism, normalize cholesterol levels and prevent the development of vascular and heart pathologies.
4. Restorative. They are prescribed if the body needs to recover from severe stress.
5. Cosmetological or “vitamin”

Cleansing

A cleansing drip is an effective procedure that allows you to quickly remove toxins, breakdown products of alcohol and drugs from the human body. It is also used to treat infectious diseases. You can install an infusion system and carry out the procedure both in a hospital setting and at home.

The composition of the cleansing dropper may vary depending on its purpose. More often, an infusion is performed with saline or 5% glucose. Additionally, the following pharmaceuticals can be added to the bottle:

• nootropics;
• antioxidants;
• hepatoprotectors;
• diuretics;
• vitamins;
• Panangin;
• Hemodez;
• Metrogil, etc.

Medicinal

A therapeutic drip is a method of treating a particular disease that can affect a person. It contains not only saline solutions, but also medicinal substances necessary to cure the patient. The infusion is carried out in a hospital setting so that the patient is under constant supervision of specialists.

You can carry out the procedure at home. A home drip is no different from the one that will be done in a medical institution. It is only important that the doctor prescribe it and describe exactly what and how to do.

Therapeutic droppers are used for:

• gastrointestinal pathologies of acute and chronic nature;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• MBC pathologies;
• for a speedy recovery after surgery;
• gynecological diseases;
• neurological pathologies, etc.

But the range of applications of therapeutic droppers is quite wide. The base solutions used for infusion are saline solution (NaCl 0.9%), 5% and 10% glucose. Medicines are introduced into solution bottles in accordance with the doctor’s prescription.

You can carry out the procedure yourself, it is only important to master some skills and learn the rules for placing an IV. Simply sticking a needle into a vein is not enough. It is important to learn to understand how the infusion system works, how to properly drip this or that solution (medicine).

Recovery after exercise, energy, sports

For a speedy recovery after heavy exertion, athletes are also given IVs. The substances that are administered to them are conventionally divided into 2 groups - main and auxiliary. The first are those that are located directly in the infusion bottle. Auxiliary - injected into the same bottle using a syringe.

The main components of a restorative or sports drip:

Vitamin complexes (vitamin B, C, E, PP, etc.) are sometimes included in the energy drip. It is better to carry out such therapy under the supervision of a doctor.

Preparing for IV infusion

To place an IV in a medical center, no special preparation is needed. When prescribing an IV and a specific drug, the doctor collects the patient’s medical history, including determining the presence of an allergic reaction to individual components and finding out whether there is experience with intravenous administration of solutions. Based on the collected information, the doctor gives the patient a prescription, which indicates the dosage and rate of administration of the drug.

In some cases, the doctor may provide specific preparation recommendations and create a meal schedule. Some solutions cannot be administered using a dropper on an empty stomach, and vice versa; before some injections, it is not recommended to eat heavily or have snacks.

How does a venous catheter work? Types of peripheral intravenous catheters

A peripheral venous catheter is a special device designed to be inserted into a vein to provide access to the bloodstream. For the manufacture of such devices, polymers are used - polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, fluoroethylenepropylene copolymer.

Peripheral intravenous catheters, based on the design of providing access to the bloodstream, are divided into 2 types:

1. Polymer ones include a flexible PVC tube, which is inserted into the vein using a steel guide needle and is the main element that provides access to the bloodstream for the entire time the catheter is used.
2. Metal, where a medical steel needle is the main and only element that provides access to the venous bed during the entire period of use of the peripheral catheter.

To understand how a venous catheter works, let’s look at it in more detail in the figure below:

1. The cap is made of transparent polymer and serves to ensure the sterility of the catheter tube and stylet. It has no other purpose.
2. A catheter tube is a flexible PVC needle that has a smooth rounding at the end, which prevents injury to the walls of the bloodstream when the device is already in the vein. Present in all models of polymer catheters, hence this type of instrument takes its name.
3. The adapter is a non-removable structural part that connects the catheter tube to the channel in the device body (main unit).
4. The wings are paired plates designed to secure the catheter to the skin using strips of adhesive tape. Non-removable - the attachment to the main unit is a monolithic connection. They may be color coded according to the size, capacity and purpose of the device.
5. The injection port is intended for bolus (syringe) administration of drugs. It is used both during the period of intravenous infusion of the main drug, i.e. simultaneously with a dropper, and separately. Has a valve that prevents the reverse flow of liquids. After catheterization of the vein, this port should always be closed, except for maintenance purposes such as injections or flushing of the device. This design detail is not necessarily present in every model. If it is present, it is always located at the top of the main catheter assembly. If not available, all maintenance is performed through the main infusion port or the most appropriate part of the IV during the period of action. At the end there is a luer-slip or luer-lock connector.
6. The main port is a technological hole that serves to connect the catheter to the dropper. As a rule, it is not equipped with a check valve, which does not interfere with the free flow of blood when removing the stiletto needle from the vein when installing the device. At the end there is a connector of one of two types - luer-slip or luer lock.
7. Plugs are present on all ports of this instrument. They may be color coded according to the purpose of the device itself. There are two types of fasteners compatible with the connector - luer-slip (standard) and luer-lock (screw-on). The main purpose is to block ports. When installing a catheter into a venous bed, the main port cover must be open and closed only after the device is correctly installed and flushed with solution.
8. A stiletto is a conductor made of medical steel, which is an exact copy of a conventional injection needle with an angled cut at the end. Provides venipuncture and insertion of a flexible catheter tube into a vein, then removed from the main node. In metal catheters - where there is no polymer venous tube - it is a non-removable main needle and is included in the design of the main assembly.
9. The support plate is a small polymer strip that provides support for the thumb both during insertion of the stylet during venipuncture and when it is removed from the main catheter assembly.
10. The indicator chamber is the main assembly of the stylet. Always made of transparent material, so with proper venipuncture, blood is always visible on its walls. At the end opposite from the needle there is a luer-lock or luer-slip connector, onto which a plug cap is placed. An indicator capacity is present in all models of venous catheters - both polymer and metal. In polymer ones it is the body of the stylet, in metal ones it is part of the main assembly of the catheter itself.

The vast majority of device models include these 10 structural parts. Exceptions are metal catheters, where there is no PVC tube as the main part for access to the bloodstream, and some polymer ones, where there is no additional injection port.

Polymer intravenous catheters. Dimensions and selection principle

Catheters are available in different diameters and lengths, which must be indicated on the packaging. Each type has its own color marking. Its throughput depends on the diameter of the device.

The main principle of selection is to choose the smallest catheter of all that provides the necessary throughput into the largest vein available for catheterization.

The types and sizes of devices are determined by the doctor in accordance with the purposes for which they will be used, but there are general recommendations:

• Infusion of large volumes of drugs or blood products in a relatively short time. The most commonly used is orange (14G), which has a diameter of 2.0 and a length of 45 mm. This is the largest catheter with a throughput of 270 ml per minute. Gray (16G) with a flow rate of 180 ml/min, or white (17G) with a flow rate of 125 ml/min can also be used here.
• For a course of elimination of BCC deficiency, a green catheter (87G) is usually used, capable of passing 80 ml per minute. It is recognized as the most optimal for routine transfusion of blood products after the main danger to the body has already been eliminated.
• For daily infusions of up to 2–3 liters of medicinal solutions, it is recommended to use pink (20G), which passes liquids at a rate of 54 ml per minute.
• Long-term intravenous therapy (for example, for children or cancer patients) involves the use of a blue catheter (22G), allowing up to 31 ml of solution per minute.
• In oncology, pediatrics, and also for thin sclerotic veins, yellow (24G at a rate of 13 ml/min) or violet (26G at a rate of 12 ml/min) catheters are usually used.

What is a “butterfly needle” and how does it work? Recommendations for selection

The “butterfly needle” is also a catheter for small veins. Not suitable for long-term use, because the main part is a short (19 mm) needle made of medical steel with double sharpening, and not the PVC tube usual for such instruments.

The mounting of the device itself most often comes with the Luer-Lock type, but sometimes you come across models with a standard port.

It is a convenient device equipped with special rough wing fasteners that allow you to easily attach it to the skin using a patch. The color of the “Wings” corresponds to a special marking, which, in general, does not correspond to the color marking of other types of catheterization devices.

Below is the marking of German products according to the ISO standard:

The selection of a butterfly needle is somewhat different from other types of catheters. Taking into account the viscosity and volume of the drug, it is recommended to use the following devices, based on their size and age of the patients:

• Infants 0-12 months: 22G (0.7mm) black.
• Children 1–3 years: 22G (0.7 mm) black or 25G (0.5 mm) orange.
• Children 4-14 years old: 22G (0.7 mm) black, 25G (0.5 mm) orange, 24G (0.55 mm) purple or 23G (0.6 mm) blue.
• Children over 14 years of age and adults: General parameters apply, including 21G (0.8 mm) with green markings.

Butterfly needles with a diameter of 20G, 19G, 18G are not recommended for use for pediatric veins due to the small diameter of the vessels and the large diameter of the metal part of the needle. The choice of the thickness of the 20G butterfly needle must be agreed with the doctor and can be used if a high rate of infusion of the drug or its large volume.

Attention!

Please note that our recommendations are general and for a strict prescription you need to consult a doctor.
The butterfly needle design is different from other catheter designs, mainly because it is a metal type of device.

Let's look at it in more detail in the figure below:

• The protective cap serves to ensure sterility. It has no other functions. If the device is immediately connected to the dropper, then the system is filled with it. In this case, the protective cap must be removed and installed back only when the air is completely displaced by the solution and the latter begins to flow freely through the needle.
• The injection needle is made of medical steel. In this device, it is the only one, i.e. it is not a stylet-conductor necessary for introducing a flexible PVC tube into the bloodstream.
• The adapter is a non-removable structural part that serves to reliably connect the needle with the through channel in the wing body.
• The wings are designed to secure the catheter to the skin using adhesive tape.
• Extension tube. It also serves as an indicator chamber: when the vein is entered correctly, it immediately fills with blood. This flexible thin tube has a standard length of 300 mm and is made of transparent polyvinyl chloride.
• Injection port (adapter). It can be either with a standard adapter or with a Luer-Lock type of fastening at the end (more often in models for blood sampling). Serves to connect the device to a syringe or infusion system.

• A blank cover in one form or another is present in any device model. It is also an injection valve. At the time of catheterization, the plug should always be open until the air under blood pressure is completely released from the tube, then it is closed, or the device is connected directly to the dropper and the entire system is filled with the medicine along with it.

The butterfly needle has only one port for administering the drug.

Like any other steel catheter, this device should not be left in the vein for more than 24 hours to avoid the risk of blood clots and infiltrates. Rigid fixation is required, associated with significant restrictions on the patient’s mobility.

The procedure for venipuncture with such a catheter is no different from the standard one generally accepted for other similar devices.

Indications for placing an IV in the clinic

The doctor prescribes an IV for severe vomiting or diarrhea, burns and large loss of fluid. Intravenous infusion is useful in cases of acid-base or water-salt imbalance, in which the kidneys and heart suffer the most.

In addition, intravenous infusion is given in the following cases:

• Restoration of blood supply
• Brain swelling
• Problems in the functioning of internal organs
• Intoxication of the body
• Local or generalized infection
• Preserving Metabolism
• The need to normalize sugar or cholesterol levels in diabetes
• Relieving pain and swelling

The procedure is indispensable for the administration of solutions and blood components that should not be injected into the muscles.