A functional test for the detection of infusion lines extravasation.

Extravasation during intravenous (IV) infusion is a common secondary effect with potentially serious clinical consequences. The correct positioning of the needle in the vein may be difficult to confirm when no blood return is observed. In this paper, a novel method is proposed for the detection of extravasation during infusion therapy. A small volume of a sodium bicarbonate solution is administrated IV and, following its consecutive dissociation, an excess of carbon dioxide (CO2) is rapidly exhaled by the lungs. The analysis of the exhaled CO2 signal by a pattern recognition algorithm enables the robust detection of the CO2 excess release, thereby confirming the absence of extravasation. Initial results are presented for the application of the method on a group of 89 oncology patients.