How would you know if a part of an iv needle was left in your vein?

i had an iv needle one week ago on the main vein on the left arm on the inside of my elbow, itsbeen a week sice its been taken out and i have had about an inch on that vein hard as a rock. i have had many iv needles before but i have never had this before. how would i know if part of it was left inside

Okay, there is no way that you have a piece of metal from the IV in your arm. An IV line (or Intra-Venous line) is placed by use of an over the needle IV Catheter which consists of two parts; the IV catheter (which is very similar to a straw with a connection hub at one end) that will remain in your vein to allow fluid to be passed through and a metal needle (which is what actually pierces the skin and allows the catheter to be slid over the inner needle and placed in the vein).

Think of a drinking straw and a bar straw. The thinner bar straw will fit inside of the larger drinking straw. Both allow fluid to pass through them, which is essential to verifying the proper placement of the catheter. Now imagine the bar straw is made of metal and beveled on one end to a sharp point, this is the inner needle. The drinking straw (the IV catheter) is shorter than the metal needle so that both the sharp end that breaks through the skin and the closed outside end are visible.

The skin is pierced by the metal inner needle and is continued forward until it punctures the vein. The closed end of the needle generally has a small clear plastic tube where it will show a small amount of blood frequently called "Flash". This lets the phlebotomist know they have placed the IV correctly. The catheter/needle combo is advanced a little further until the end of the catheter also enters the vein, since it is slightly shorter than the needle's sharpened end. Then, the catheter is moved forward while the needle is held fast so that the catheter is placed in the vein and follows the blood vessel rather than puncturing through the other side. The metal needle is removed and the plastic catheter remains in the blood vessel until no longer needed.

So, that's why you don't have to worry about there being a piece of metal in your arm.

Oh yeah, might as well answer your question. You have Phlebitis, which is an inflammation of the blood vessel. Take an NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug) like Motrin, Aleve, Tylenol, etc. Apply warm compresses to the irritated area and you should start to feel some relief. If you lose or have lost any sensation in your arm, hand or fingers, seek treatment immediately. If the symptoms persist another week, seek treatment immediately. Also, don't rest your arm. Seriously, the increased use of your arm will actually help to relieve any possibility of a blood clot forming in the area by creating a demand for increased blood flow. Good luck and I sure hope that your arm feels better real soon. Let us know how it works out for you.

well, dont ask me, ask your doctor!
and then get an xray

By an x ray or u probably would feel pain but if you think so, go for an x ray

if it kept oozing blood, I would get concerned

well if it was left inside, there would probably be a fair amount of pain. if it was left in there, a cheap metal dectector for treasure hunting should reveal it. if it isnt a ferrous metal (which im pretty sure it is going to be) the metal detector wont work. in that case, an x ray machine will detect it. it might also be like a calcium deposit or an infection, the only real way to tell is to go ask a real doctor. hope this helps!

sometime iv sites will become rock hard from being used.when you put iv site in the elbow area and then bend your arm the vein will get like this.you will have to give it some time to heal.watch for swelling or redness or it being hot to touch as this could be the sign of infection. i really do not think there is needle in you.the angio caths(aka iv needles) are very well made and would not disconect in that way.

sounds like a normal thing. I had surgery in Feb. and my arm still has a bright blue bruise from the iv. Needles don't just break. If it did it would have ripped the skin.

First of all, when you have an IV, the needle is removed once the skin and vein are punctured and a flexible cannula is all that is left in. It is like a straw, hollow in the middle and that is what allows the fluids and medications to enter your vein. Most cannulas have a black dot at the end that the healthcare team can look at when it is removed to be able to tell that the entire length was removed.

It sounds like you have a phlebitis from the IV, which is not uncommon. Warm compresses should help, but you should see your doctor since it's been a week and there is not any improvement. Your doctor can evaluate you and decide if there is infection or cellulitis on top of the phlebitis.

If you think you have an iv needle still inside the vein, got to your doctor and get an xray.