Twenty-four periodontal patients volunteered for a study designed to investigate the incidence of venous sequelae with
Injectable Valium administered by a standardized
conscious sedation technique.
Sedative doses were injected into veins on the dorsum of the hand utilizing a continuous
infusion drip of 5%
dextrose in water. Postoperative evaluation extended over 12 weeks. Ultrasonic tests for
thrombosis were performed with a Doppler
Flowmeter. Independent variables considered included age, vein size, volume of
drug, volume of intravenous
solution,
pain upon injection and initial venous flow velocity. Sixteen subjects (66.67%) experienced some form of venous sequelae. Thirteen sequelae advanced to
thrombophlebitis. Those subjects who demonstrated no complications had significantly higher initial venous flow than those with complications. Those subjects with resolution of complications demonstrated a significantly greater initial venous flow than those without resolution of complications. Clinical variables of
pain on injection, vein diameter, dose of
diazepam and volume of infusion
solution did not significantly differ across groups. However, those subjects with no complications were significantly older than those with complications. It is recommended that the larger veins of the forearm and antecubital fossa, with greater mean velocities of venous flow, be preferred for intravenous
diazepam administration to attempt to decrease the nature and incidence of
thrombophlebitis.