Phlebitis
| Phlebitis | |
 | |
|---|---|
| The popliteal vein. | |
| ICD-10 | I80 |
| ICD-9 | 451 |
| DiseasesDB | 13043 |
| eMedicine | emerg/581 emerg/582 med/3201 |
| MeSH | D010689 |
| Cardiology Network |
 Discuss Phlebitis further in the WikiDoc Cardiology Network |
| Adult Congenital |
|---|
| Biomarkers |
| Cardiac Rehabilitation |
| Congestive Heart Failure |
| CT Angiography |
| Echocardiography |
| Electrophysiology |
| Cardiology General |
| Genetics |
| Health Economics |
| Hypertension |
| Interventional Cardiology |
| MRI |
| Nuclear Cardiology |
| Peripheral Arterial Disease |
| Prevention |
| Public Policy |
| Pulmonary Embolism |
| Stable Angina |
| Valvular Heart Disease |
| Vascular Medicine |
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Overview
Phlebitis is an inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs. When phlebitis is associated with the formation of blood clots (thrombosis), usually in the deep veins of the legs, the condition is called thrombophlebitis.
Differential diagnosis of underlying causes
- Bacterial: Pathogenic organisms can gain access and stimulate inflammation.
- Chemical: caused by irritating or vesicant solutions.
- Mechanical: physical trauma from the skin puncture and movement of the cannula into the vein during insertion; any subsequent manipulation and movement of the cannula; clotting; or excessively large cannula.
- Medications including Celebrex, antidepressants, and others.
- Lupus
- Genetic as it is known to run in families.
Signs and Symptoms
- Redness (erythema) and warmth with a temperature elevation of a degree or more above the baseline
- Pain or burning along the length of the vein
- Swelling (edema)
- Vein being hard, and cordlike
Treatment
- Antibiotics if there is evidence of a cellulitis
- Elevation
- If occurring due to an intravenous infusion line, then slowed infusion rate
See also
References
Intravenous Infusion Therapy for Nurses (Second Edition) by Dianne L. Josephson (ISBN 1-4018-0935-9)
External links
- Phlebitis at MotherNature.com
- eMedicine Health: Phlebitis provides an overview of phlebitis and its causes, symptoms, and treatment.