Any experience with Rituxan infusion "infiltration"?

Posted by irishponies @irishponies, Dec 11, 2022

Hello Everyone,
Question: What are effects of Rituxan IV infiltration? (Infiltration: IV medication leaks out of vein into the surrounding tissue.)
Rituxan infusion - intense burning at the IV site. (Previous Rituxan infusions did not burn.) Nurse examined it, no swelling. After 30 more min of burning, she flushed the IV with saline. After 30 more min of burning, I said, please remove the IV, I cannot tolerate the burning. She said it appears fine, no swelling, and just try to finish if you can. After 15 more min, the man across from me, also having an infusion, said "Your arm is swelling up" and he sent his wife to get the nurse. The forearm had a 3 inch puffed-bubble from elbow to mid-wrist.
Nurse shut off infusion, summoned supervising nurse, she said, "You're having an infiltration." She used a marker to outline bubble. IV was saline flushed but left in place. Ice packs applied.
Supervising nurse put IV in right bicep, stab #8, and infusion completed. Left IV removed and bandaged; swelling remained. She gave me a next day appt. to check site; she advised to keep it elevated and iced overnight. She phoned my primary care physician to discuss.
The next day, scratching an everyday minor itch to the top of the left forearm, near where the IV infiltration bubble had been, resulted in a tear of the skin and a 1.5 inch skin flap. I bandaged that, it bled through and was rebandaged.
Supervising nurse removed dressing and cleaned IV area, No infection, Swelling subsided. She advised continue icing and elevation for several days. She noted skin tear from scratch, area red. She called primary care physician again and notified.
Note: I have no complaints with the nursing staff regarding IV and vein issues, etc.
Second Rituxan infusion is in 2 weeks.
Does anyone with vasculitis, any type, and/or systemic sclerosis and/or mixed connective tissue disorder have any experience with a Rituxan infusion infiltration?
The Rituxan research states that that necrosis of the forearm tissue was a possibility in 2 to 72 weeks for RA patients but there is no infiltration research for my diagnoses.
Thank you.

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