"Extravasation injury"

I presented to Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital recently for a scheduled CT scan which was booked due to an existing issue. I had a nurse who may have been a student attempt to cannulate 4 times in the same arm. After the fourth attempt and lots of digging (this was around 5 minutes) they told the registered nurse they weren’t able to get blood flow. They left the needle in the vein they believed to be good and the registered nurse took over with the needle still in my hand. The nurse dug around and got the cannula in. It did feel uncomfortable but I thought it was just because it was on the top of my hand/wrist.

I went in for scan, had my arms placed behind my head and they flushed the line. It was an instantly painful burning/stinging pain which made me jump, in which the student asked if I was ok and I said yes it just really hurt. They explained the procedure and started the scan, the first injection of contrast was one of the most painful things I have felt, the pressure felt like my vein had exploded is the only way I could describe it and shook my whole body enough for the student to stop the scan and come into the room to see if I was ok. I was quite upset and they advised the vein wasn't swollen and they would inject the second one slower. The second one was injected slowly which caused less pressure but still very painful. I had the cannula removed and left. My arm felt completely seized/ tender with shooting pain. By the time I got home my arm had broken out in a rash. The only thing that soothed the pain was a heat pack.

I went to work the following day, still unable to use my swollen arm and in a lot of pain, my boss advised I needed to go back in and have it checked after speaking to their friend who is a ICU nurse. I went to Sir Charles Gardiner hospital emergency department. I was advised it sounded like an extravasation injury had occurred and from the photo of the rash I showed it looked as though I had a mild allergic reaction to the contrast in my arm. The nurse advised me to continue using heat and to alternate heat and cold press, take anti-inflammatories with Panadol and I should be ok in a 2-3 days.

There was no improvement and by the next week I was still in the same pain as a week before. The following day I called the radiology unit and spoke to a nurse, the nurse advised there had been no report made of me presenting to emergency the week before and that there should have been so they could have followed up and provided medical advice to ensure the dye removed from my arm. The nurse advised me to return to emergency to have it re assessed.

I presented at emergency and eventually saw a fast track Dr. who advised they had read my previous notes and thought as it was still this sore it may be nerve related but was unsure and suggested I should not have come to emergency and gone to my GP to manage. I got upset and asked them what I am supposed to do when I am being told different things from different departments and people. The Dr. was making what felt like condescending remarks like they understand it’s frustrating when I’m so use to being healthy and able to now being in pain, and, it will get better it will just take time. I felt in that moment I was not being taken seriously at all and felt as if they thought I was lying or being dramatic about the pain I was experiencing and lack of mobility.

I physically cannot bend my wrist down as I am writing this. The path of the vein is still extremely tender to touch. The Dr advised all they could do was do a blood test but that I would need to see my GP to get a referral to a neurologist. I asked what I am supposed to do now about the pain or finding out what is wrong when a specialist appointment could take a year to get into which my GP has confirmed. My GP has also confirmed this is not a community GP matter and the hospital are the only ones who can assist me. I am at a dead end on what to do, it seems like everyone is just palming me off to someone else to deal with. Overall I feel I should not have gone in for a routine procedure and come out with an injury of this degree and for this long with absolutely no medical assistance.

Following on from this I have not even been contacted regarding my results of the original issue which they referred me for these scans. I emailed them to follow up and they replied that my results were discussed please follow up with your GP. My results were never discussed and my issue is not at all resolved and requires to be followed up by the Urologist team. All round I have been so let down by Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital, I came to them for help and ended up with no resolution on my existing problem and now a arm injury which affects my everyday life and work.