About Intraosseous Infusion
The past several years have seen significant growth in the utilization of intraosseous infusion in the emergency medical community, driven by changing treatment guidelines and an increased awareness of the safety and efficacy of the procedure.
What is IO?
Intraosseous infusion, or IO, is the process of administering fluids into the blood stream via a bone marrow space, usually the sternum or tibia. In many emergency situations, it is critical to get lifesaving medication and fluids into the patient as quickly as possible. In the instances of cardiac arrest, burns, and many other life-threatening circumstances, it is often impossible to get an IV started. In these situations, the standard resuscitation guidelines — ILCOR and AHA — recommend IO as an alternative treatment for the infusion of drugs and fluids.
Why Sternal IO?
The manubrium, the top bone of the sternum, makes an ideal IO site for several reasons. It is very easy to locate, readily accessible, it is protected from trauma to the extremities, and it is thinner and easier to penetrate than other bones. Most importantly, Sternal IO delivers drugs to the heart 2-3 times faster and in higher therapeutic concentrations than other IO options.
Learn more about Sternal IO…
What is the Difference Between IV and IO?
IV infusion is performed by entering a vein in soft tissue such as the forearm, leg, or neck. IO infusion is performed by delivering fluids to the marrow space inside a bone, usually the sternum or tibia.
How Common is IO?
IO infusion has been commonly used in children since the 1950s because their veins are often tiny and hard to locate, making IO quicker in emergency situations. The adoption of adult emergency IO infusion first required the development of suitable equipment. The first adult IO product on the market, FAST1® has proven to effectively fill this gap in emergency medicine. The device provides a fast, safe and effective alternative to vascular access in adults and adolescents as young as 12 years. In fact, IO is now the recommended alternative to IV for the infusion of drugs and fluids according to both the ILCOR and AHA Guidelines.
You’ll find additional information on our Frequently Asked Questions page.
