Infusion Therapy in NJ, CT, MD, and the Washington, D.C., Area

What Is Infusion Therapy?

Infusion therapy is a method for delivering medications or fluids into a patient’s body, typically using a needle and catheter. By bypassing the digestive process, infusion therapy delivers treatments directly into the bloodstream, so they can work more efficiently than oral medications. Infusion treatments are used to deliver substances such as:

• Antibiotics
• Biologic medications
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Fluids
• Pain medication
• Nutrients

Types of Infusion Therapy

Infusion therapy can be administered in different ways, including:

• Intravenous (IV) infusion: In this common method for infusion therapy, medication is delivered into the veins and travels into the bloodstream.
• Subcutaneous infusion: Medication is injected into the fatty tissue just under the skin.
• Intramuscular (IM) infusion: Medication is injected via a needle into the muscle tissue, allowing for rapid absorption.
• Epidural infusion: This type of infusion uses a catheter placed into the epidural space around the spinal cord.
• Intraosseous (IO) infusion: This infusion method delivers medication directly into the bone marrow.

Applications of Infusion Therapy

While infusion long has been used to deliver chemotherapy and other cancer treatments, many different conditions can be treated or managed with infusion therapy:

Infusion Therapy in Chronic Disease Management

Regular infusion therapy can help patients manage chronic conditions. For example, infusions of monoclonal antibody drugs, corticosteroids, and other medications can help patients with autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus, or Crohn’s disease. Infusion therapies can offer symptom relief where oral medications aren’t as effective and also can play a role in long-term disease control. For example, for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, IV medications can relieve joint pain and stiffness while slowing or preventing additional joint damage.

Infusion Therapy in Infectious Diseases

For patients with severe or systemic infections such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), infusion therapy can provide consistent high doses of antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria or fungus from the body.

Infusion Therapy in Pain Management

Some physicians prescribe infusion therapy to treat acute or chronic pain with analgesics. For long-term, debilitating pain that can’t be treated effectively with other methods, a doctor may recommend an implanted infusion pump.

Infusion Therapy in Nutritional Support

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is the intravenous delivery of essential nutrients. This approach is used when a patient can’t use his or her digestive system to eat normally, such as during recovery from stomach surgery. In other cases, doctors use enteral nutrition infusions, which deliver nutrients into the stomach or small intestine instead of a vein. Enteral nutrition is sometimes used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

Administering Infusion Therapy

Candidates for infusion therapy will have a consultation with a provider to discuss their medical history, current symptoms, and treatment plan. While most infusion therapies are given intravenously, other options may be explored depending on the condition and the patient’s needs.

During an infusion appointment, patients typically will sit in a comfortable chair while the medication is administered. The patient can read, listen to music, or take a nap during the treatment. The length of the appointment will depend on how much medication is being infused.

A medical provider will choose the right needle and catheter for the patient. Nurses or other highly trained clinicians will monitor the patient throughout the treatment to be sure the medication is being administered appropriately and to prevent issues such as:

• Infiltration: Leakage of non-vesicant solution, such as blood or IV medication, into the surrounding tissue, which can cause redness or swelling.
• Extravasation: This is the leakage of vesicant fluid from a vein into the surrounding tissue. Because vesicants can cause tissue damage, extravasation can lead to issues like blistering and necrosis.

Preventing and Managing Complications in Infusion Therapy

Infusion centers have many controls in place to monitor patients and manage complications. Whenever patients receive an infusion, their provider will use infection controls, such as cleaning the injection site and using sterilized equipment. If the IV line becomes blocked, the provider may need to flush the IV or use a different injection site.

While rare, infection at the injection site can happen. A person who has a fever, chills, or redness and swelling at the injection site during or following an infusion should contact the doctor right away.

Occasionally, a patient may have an allergic reaction to a specific medication. In this case, the infusion team will manage the reaction following well-established protocols, If the reaction is significant or occurs more than once, a physician typically will consider alternative drugs that are better tolerated.

Infusion Therapy Equipment and Technology

During infusion therapy, the medication typically is administered via an infusion pump programmed by a medical provider. The pump has built-in safety features and will alert the provider if there is a blockage or other issue. Infusions often are given with a peripheral IV placed in the hand or the arm. However, some medications are delivered via a central venous catheter (CVC) that is placed in a major vein in the neck, chest, or groin.

In some cases, a patient will receive infusion treatments via an implanted port, a small medical device that is placed under the skin, usually on the chest or abdomen. Ports may be used in chemotherapy treatment or to treat infections that require long-term antibiotics. In other cases, a patient may need a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) to deliver continuous nutrition or medication.

Find Infusion Therapy at Regional Cancer Care Associates

Whether you’re undergoing cancer treatment or managing a chronic condition like MS, infusion therapy can be an important part of staying healthy. Regional Cancer Care Associates has more than 20 locations in New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and the Washington, D.C., area where patients can receive their treatments in a comfortable setting without having to visit the hospital. With oncologists, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists onsite, patients can be confident in the level of care they receive from compassionate and experienced providers. To learn more about infusion therapy, contact us today.