Infiltrate?

[kellyt]

I see this alot on these boards.  What is infiltration?  And what exactly happens when your vein/fistula is "infiltrated"?     

[goofynina]

That is when they poke a whole through your fistula and you bleed inside your arm and that causes the swelling and the bruising (at least that is what i think it is)  I have been infiltrated so many times and it seems like every time i got a different answer, lol 

[kellyt]

So the needle goes "all the way through" your vein?  Or no?

[boxman55]

Kellyt, When the tech inserts the needle into your vein and the needle penetrates through it, instead of laying in it. When this happens it usually hits a nerve and man it hurts. It also turns your area black and blue because of the blood escaping.It will also make the area feel hard as a rock. Heat pack then ice pack will help. A bad infiltration will not allow dialysis to happen that day, so Ive been told...Boxman

[kellyt]

Thanks for the explanations.  From what I've read I gathered it wasn't something good, but damn!  It sounds really painful!   ouch!

[MattyBoy100]

Kellyt, this happened to me last year.  My arm filled with blood and was uncomfortable.  Within a day it had gone a deep black and blue and my I couldn't move my elbow due to the swelling of my arm.

There was nothing for it but to wait for the haematoma (blood outside the vein) to clear naturally.  This took 10 days in total and my arm was stiff the whole time.

You know when you have been infiltrated as you feel a strange swelling sensation in your arm.  It may be a small leak or it could be a big one.

One way to avoid being infiltrated is to learn to self cannulate (I do) and get to know your own fistula.

The good news is that as your fistula develops over time, it will get bigger/wider and so being infiltrated should become less likely.

[bolta72]

This happen to me the other day, the first time in a year and a half. It wasn't too bad, got a little bruise and only stung a little bit. Kept constant ice on it. The tech felt so bad, she is new and about 20. I felt more concerned for her feelings that I did for my problem.

[del]

Hubby has been on hemo for 7 years now.  He has only been infiltrated a couple of times and not at all since I started needling him about a year and a half ago.

[goofynina]

Hubby has been on hemo for 7 years now. He has only been infiltrated a couple of times and not at all since I started needling him about a year and a half ago.

Sounds to me like your doing an excellent job Del, keep up the great work my friend 

[charee]

Thats another good reason to do buttonhole , i don't think you can infiltrate with blunt needles.

[keefer51]

Infiltrate? Ha! That is almost my middle name. I can feel the needle poke through then the pain is so intense i sometimes black out. I see the starts like in cartoons and i grab my elbow. It blows up and is very sore. I have a picture of my fistula the doctor gave me. It is a black and white he did from a ultra sound. I assume they don't look at it or don't care because this happens often. The pain goes away after a day or so. but then i go back and do it again.