Ross F. Mann | October 18, 2025 | Medical Malpractice
Most people don’t think twice when a nurse inserts an IV. It’s a routine medical procedure, but when an IV insertion goes wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic. IV infiltration happens when the fluid that’s supposed to go into your vein leaks into the surrounding tissue instead.
Sometimes, this is a minor inconvenience that resolves on its own. Other times, however, it becomes a medical emergency that changes someone’s life forever, whether through nerve damage, burns, or even amputation.
What Happens During IV Infiltration?
When an IV is inserted into a vein, the catheter can slip out or puncture through it entirely. When this happens, whatever medication flows through that line starts pooling in the tissue around the insertion site. Your body wasn’t designed to handle them outside the bloodstream, so this can cause serious problems.
The severity of the damage depends on what’s being given. Normal saline will probably just cause some swelling and discomfort that’ll resolve on its own with time. But certain medications are extremely caustic to soft tissue, and they can actually burn through the surrounding tissue.
Why IV Infiltration Is So Dangerous
One of the biggest dangers of IV infiltration is how quickly damage accumulates. Patients may feel tightness, discomfort, or pain at the IV site but hesitate to alert busy medical staff. Meanwhile, toxic substances continue to leak into tissues not designed to handle them.
Nerve Damage
When fluid collects in the tissue, it can put pressure on nearby nerves. This compression can lead to:
- Burning or tingling sensations
- Numbness or loss of sensation
- Weakness or impaired motor control
In severe cases, nerve damage is permanent, affecting a patient’s ability to grip objects or perform daily tasks.
Chemical Burns
Tissue exposed to caustic medication can suffer chemical burns. These injuries often develop rapidly, progressing from redness and swelling to blistering and tissue death. In extreme cases, this damage can lead to compartment syndrome—a condition where increased pressure cuts off blood supply, worsening tissue death.
Amputation
It sounds extreme, but amputation isn’t a rare outcome with severe IV infiltration injuries. Once the tissue dies, it can’t regenerate. Dead tissue poses serious infection risks that can spread throughout the body.
Surgeons sometimes have no choice but to remove fingers, hands, or even entire limbs to save the patient’s life.
The Role of Medical Negligence
Medical professionals are trained to monitor IV sites regularly and recognize early warning signs. When they fail to do so and a patient is harmed, it may be considered medical malpractice.
In Kentucky, a malpractice claim depends on whether the healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care. Questions that often arise include:
- Was the IV site properly monitored?
- Did staff respond quickly when issues arose?
- Were nurses and providers adequately trained?
Failing to meet any of these standards can constitute negligence. When poor monitoring or delayed responses lead to severe complications like nerve damage or amputation, the injured patient has every right to hold the provider accountable.
Long-Term Impacts and Emotional Toll
The consequences of IV infiltration injuries extend beyond physical damage. Many patients face months of recovery and multiple surgeries. Chronic pain, permanent disability, and emotional trauma are common.
Daily activities like writing, eating, or driving may become difficult or impossible. Some patients require assistive devices or caregiver support for the rest of their lives. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are not uncommon in the aftermath of such injuries.
Understanding the full scope of harm is essential when pursuing a legal claim.
Seeking Legal Help After an IV Injury
IV infiltration can lead to long recoveries, lasting disability, and emotional trauma. When a preventable mistake leads to serious harm, patients deserve clear answers and accountability. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you investigate what happened, explain your legal rights, and pursue compensation for your injuries.
If you or a loved one suffered severe harm due to IV infiltration, don’t wait to explore your options.
If you were injured in an accident in Lexington, and need legal help, contact our medical malpractice attorneys at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers, to schedule a free case review today.
We proudly serve Fayette County and the surrounding areas.
Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers – Lexington
501 Darby Creek Rd UNIT 48
Lexington, KY 40509
(859) 413-3900
