My baby got lipid burns

fergus51 · Aug 6, 2005

IV burns happen. As long as you were monitoring the site appropriately, there isn't much else you can do. I've seen burns happen on babies so fast, there is just no way that they could have been prevented (IV site looks fine at 2100, at 2200 there's a burn). Just take it as a learning experience and try not to beat yourself up about it.

wensday, MSN, RN, APN, NP · Aug 7, 2005

Thankyou!

I had the same baby today and it looks much better :)

fergus51 · Aug 7, 2005

Glad to hear it:) Hopefully YOU feel better too:)

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2005

It happens. We do Q hour checks but if you get an infiltrate on a 800gm kid for half an hour with lipids and TPN runnning at about 2 mls, that's still a good deal. You can't sit there and look at the line continuously

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Sep 13, 2005

We have started to use the generic form of Wydase on lipid infiltrates, and it really makes a difference. Recently we had a calcium gluconate infiltrate, which cleared up wonderfully. Baby's hand and forearm looked horrible, next night you couldn't tell that there had been a problem. The med can't be used on dopamine infiltrates, but I think it's ok with everything else.

Sorry, I can't remember the name of it right now. Wydase went off the market a few years ago, and this is the newer version from a different company.

Deidre Shiobhan · Sep 13, 2005

Hi all.
Feeling hugely bad and sorry for myself. was looking after a 26weeker, on CMV doing ok but CRP is sky high and is showing general deteriation ?due to sepsis. SO they took the longline out as it was the ?site of infection and baby has only 1 peripheral line in his hand with TPN, lipid and morphine running.
All going ok then give frusemide and with the flush it blanches a little so i remove the canula and get the reg to site a new one. get it on the 3rd attempt in the other arm and it all runs fine.
Later go for my break and come back and get my stuff out for cares and check the site. Uh-oh it all puffed up, his arm is twice the size it was and theres a tiny mark that looks like a bruise by his elbow crease. i take it out and tell my mentor (im on a course thing at this hospital but have been there for nearly a year so they leave me to it).
Reg tries new canula but cant after 3 so consultant come to do it as all his veins are now attacked bar the one they are saving for his next longline.
SO while i wait for the consultant i'm looking for veins and see this 'bruise' has turned into a nasty burn about 1 1/2 cm square and then i see were the frusemide blancing thing was is another tiny burn type squiggle. I feel awful. documented it all and photos etc. Had to explain to mum. Consultant not too concerned at this point but am so scared now to go in tomorrow (it happened 2 days ago) to see his arms. I feel awful.

Pls don't feel bad iv burns do happen because these babies are too fragile. What is most frustrating in my unit is sometimes even if it's a very minor extravasation - my NM will want us to write a memo to record how did it happen & what has been done to rectify the problem. She kicks up a big fuss even the docs are not concern, she simply loves collecting memos. How irritating.

I guess we as neonatal nurses will have to be extra vigilant expecially if the patient is extremely premature.

It happens to me and I also have my fair share of memo writing too.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Sep 14, 2005

We inject NS SQ around the infiltrate....helps dilute out the infusion solution. We also use Regitine on our vasopressor infiltrates.

I wouldn't put down your NM for the memos...we have to write incident reports on all IV infiltrates....you never know if one will abcess or get gross...and this is the number one thing that hospitals are sued for....IV infiltrates and the one that they will almost 100% of the time settle out on.