Experimental research on preventing mechanical phlebitis arising from indwelling needles in intravenous therapy by external application of mirabilite

Various types of complications arising from intravenous indwelling needles have become a challenge in clinical care. It is urgent to seek a simple and cost-effective method for prevention and treatment of phlebitis. We investigated the roles of mirabilite in preventing and treating phlebitis caused by intravenous indwelling needles and provide guidance for prevention and treatment of mechanical phlebitis caused by intravenous indwelling needles. A total of 57 healthy congeneric big-eared New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: blank control, indwelling needle, and group with external application of mirabilite. The ear vein of each rabbit was punctured with an intravenous indwelling needle. The ear vein specimens were taken at 3, 5, and 7 days after indwelling. The hematoxylin and eosin stained pathological tissue sections of the ear veins of the rabbits in each group were observed. The expression levels of IL-1 and IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the vascular tissue of the ear veins of the rabbits in each group were detected with the immunofluorescence method. In the blank control group, there was no inflammatory cellular infiltration and no proliferation of fibrous tissue around the vascular wall. With the increase of the indwelling time, proliferation of fibrous tissue in vascular wall, increased inflammatory cellular infiltration and organized thrombus in the vascular tissue occurred in the ear veins of the rabbits in the indwelling needle group and group with external application of mirabilite. Compared with the indwelling needle group, the group with external application of mirabilite had significantly decreased fibrous tissue in the vascular wall and significantly decreased inflammatory cellular infiltration. At the same point in indwelling time, the expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in the indwelling needle and group with external application of mirabilite were significantly higher than that in the blank control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in the group with external application of mirabilite were lower than that in the indwelling needle group (P<0.05). The expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α are positively correlated with the indwelling time within the same group at different points in time. In conclusion, external application of mirabilite can significantly decrease infiltration of venous inflammatory cells of the rabbit ear margin, proliferation of fibrous tissue and thrombosis in the vascular wall, significant decrease the expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in the mechanical phlebitis caused by intravenous indwelling needles, and decrease the inflammatory responses of the ear veins of rabbits.