What can an infection during venipuncture lead to?

An infection during venipuncture can lead to various complications, and one of the most significant among them is hematoma formation. When a needle is inserted into a vein, there is a risk of damaging the blood vessels or surrounding tissues. If an infection is present, it can cause increased inflammation, which might lead to the accumulation of blood outside the vessel, resulting in a hematoma. This is essentially a localized collection of blood, often causing swelling and discoloration at the site of the procedure.

While fever, vessel rupture, and allergic reactions can also be concerns in certain medical contexts, they do not directly arise from an infection during venipuncture to the same extent as hematoma formation. Fever is typically a systemic response and not a direct consequence of local infection at the venipuncture site. Vessel rupture is a more serious complication usually associated with technique or equipment issues rather than infection. Allergic reactions pertain to hypersensitivity to materials used, such as gloves or antiseptics, rather than infections at the puncture site. Thus, hematoma formation stands out as the key complication directly associated with an infection occurring during the process of venipuncture.