A complication of an intravenous line causing the vein to become inflamed and painful is called?

A complication of an intravenous line causing the vein to become inflamed and painful is called?

• A. Thrombophlebitis
• B. Phlebitis
• C. Infiltration
• D. Hematoma

Answer: (B)

Phlebitis is inflammation of a vein, often from an IV line irritating the vessel. It presents with redness, warmth, tenderness, and pain along the vein where the catheter lies. That description fits an IV-related complication causing the vein to become inflamed and painful. If a clot were involved, it would be thrombophlebitis, but the stem describes inflammation and pain without indicating a clot. Infiltration and hematoma involve leakage or bleeding into surrounding tissue, not vein inflammation, so they don’t fit as well.

Phlebitis is inflammation of a vein, often from an IV line irritating the vessel. It presents with redness, warmth, tenderness, and pain along the vein where the catheter lies. That description fits an IV-related complication causing the vein to become inflamed and painful. If a clot were involved, it would be thrombophlebitis, but the stem describes inflammation and pain without indicating a clot. Infiltration and hematoma involve leakage or bleeding into surrounding tissue, not vein inflammation, so they don’t fit as well.