IV therapy is the bedrock of modern healthcare, with IVs placed in up to 90% of hospitalized patients. But despite being one of the most common procedures, peripheral IVs come with an uncommonly high level of risk. Infiltration and extravasation—when fluids leak from the vein into the surrounding tissue—are persistent challenges for clinicians, with consequences ranging from delayed treatment to permanent injury.
That’s why understanding the clinical evidence behind ivWatch matters—because it’s not just about tech, it’s about transforming care. And it’s this evidence that can empower you to advocate for safer standards in your own hospital.
A Technology Built on Mathematics and a Predictive Algorithm with Proven Results
ivWatch is not new to the medical world—it’s an FDA-cleared and CE-marked technology, supported by over 35 clinical investigations and peer-reviewed publications. Since its founding in 2010 (rooted in research dating back to 1996), the company has worked alongside major institutions, received multiple NIH grants, and steadily advanced its devices to meet both adult and pediatric care standards.
Why IV Complications Are Often Missed
Infiltrations can—and do—happen even when a blood return and flushing appear to be normal. A catheter may puncture through the vein wall or dislodge while still allowing fluid flow, leaving the surrounding tissue at risk and clinicians unaware until visible signs appear. That’s why visual or Touch, Look, Compare assessments alone, no matter how experienced the clinician, often are not enough. Knowing the causes of infiltration will further provide insight into the benefits of ivWatch detecting these events early—long before standard observation can.
What the Data Tells Us: A Transformative Approach
Let’s break down the results from ivWatch’s clinical studies:
- 100% sensitivity in detecting infiltrations in NICU study1
- 99% detection sensitivity in 10mLs or less
- Detects infiltrated fluid in as little as 0.2mLs and on average 2mLs
- Detects infiltrations 15 hours (median) in advance of clinician recognition of infiltration
- Up to 9x swelling reduction in severe infiltrations when ivWatch is in use2
These are not lab conditions—they’re clinically viable hospital outcomes. That’s the kind of evidence that can shift standards of care.
Broader Benefits: From Safety to ROI
The clinical value is only one side of the story. Third-party analyses and publications, including recent studies in the British Journal of Nursing, also show the broader impact of early detection with ivWatch:
- Fewer clinical procedures
- Shorter hospital stays
- Decreased drug waste
- Reduced risk of hospital-acquired infections
- Lower pressure on bed availability
- Less clinician burden
As NHS IV expert Andrew Barton put it:
“Added to the savings… are the positive effects of early identification and risk mitigation that the ivWatch technology makes possible.”
How to Advocate for ivWatch in Your Facility
Understanding the evidence is the first step—now, here’s how to use it:
- Start Conversations: Talk with your nurse leaders, patient safety committees, PIVIE teams, vascular access, procurement, or biomedical teams. Share key stats and evidence. As a champion, think about who else needs to sign off on a new initiative.
- Request a Pilot: Frame it around patient safety, efficiency, and cost avoidance. Suggest a trial in a high-risk unit like the NICU, ICU, OR, or pediatrics.
- Use Peer-Reviewed Support: Cite published studies, FDA clearances, and key opinion leader endorsements to strengthen your case.
- Link to Broader Goals: Align ivWatch implementation with your hospital’s goals around patient safety metrics, innovation, readmission reduction, or nursing retention.
If you’ve seen firsthand the toll an infiltration can take on a patient—or if you’ve experienced the stress of missing one—you already know why this matters.
ivWatch gives clinicians a powerful tool to detect infiltrations early, protect patients, and improve care. And thanks to the extensive clinical evidence behind it, you have everything you need to make a strong case for bringing it to your hospital.
1https://www.ivwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Van-Rens-et_al_2023_peripheral_intarvenous.pdf
2https:///www.ivwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/IVW400CS09-Final-Report-with-Appendices-1.pdf