Final answer:
Common complications during venipuncture include injuries to the blood vessel, leading to hemorrhage or hematoma, infections which can be fatal, and cardiovascular issues such as edema and deep vein thrombosis, potentially resulting in pulmonary embolism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Common Complications of Venipuncture
During a venipuncture, various complications may arise, affecting the patient’s health. One such complication is injury to the blood vessel, which can result in hemorrhage or hematoma formation. This happens when erythrocytes, white blood cells, and other blood components leak out of the vessel breaches.
Infections are another major concern, significantly in populations with an increased risk such as drug addicts, or healthcare professionals like phlebotomists and dentists who perform these procedures. Catheter-related bloodstream infections are serious, with the World Health Organization reporting up to 80,000 cases annually in the US, leading to approximately 20,000 deaths.
Further consequences of venipuncture can be complications related to the cardiovascular system, such as edema and varicose veins. This is exacerbated by the pooling of blood in the lower limbs, which increases venous pressure, leading to the extravasation of fluid into interstitial spaces causing edema. A severe venous complication is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which might lead to a pulmonary embolism (PE), posing risks of lung damage or sudden death due to pulmonary circulation disruption.