Our team recently recovered damages for a patient who suffered an extravasation injury following an iron infusion.

This type of injury is caused by the accidental leakage of the infusion outside of the vein affecting surrounding tissues’ rather than ‘medicines’. This can happen during an iron infusion if the canula is not placed into the vein correctly or becomes displaced. It can be very serious if it is not treated quickly.

Ahead of her iron infusion, our client met with her consultant to discuss the procedure and was told there were no side effects, so she proceeded, concerned by her very low iron levels.

However, the cannula felt very uncomfortable when fitted by the nurse and our client felt a lot of pain as the infusion proceeded, which she mentioned to the nurse, before later fainting. The infusion was restarted and was again extremely painful.

Later that day, our client noticed a large brown discolouration in her arm from her elbow to her wrist, suggesting an extravasation injury. The consultant had failed to inform her that this was a possible side effect. There were also failures to remove the cannula when it was reported to be painful and a failure to recognise and respond to the infiltration of the iron infusion, leading to her permanent injury.

Whilst rare, it’s important to be aware that iron infusions can cause injury. Healthcare providers should not become complacent and must take proactive measures to reduce the risk of iron extravasation, which can cause long-term physical and emotional damage to patients.

If you, or someone you love, has been affected by an iron infusion injury, please contact our medical negligence team who may be able to help you recover damages.