IV Infusion

Many cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, use IV infusion to administer medication. At South Brooklyn Care in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, Elvira Neculiseanu, MD, and Aleksandre Toreli, MD, use IV infusion as an alternative to pills and injections. Call the office today to see if you can benefit from IV infusion, or book your appointment online.

What is IV infusion?

IV infusion uses intravenous (IV) methods to get medication into your body.

At the beginning of treatment, your South Brooklyn Care provider inserts a needle into a vein in your arm. The needle is connected to a catheter (a hollow tube) attached to a bag filled with liquid medication. The medication drips into the catheter, entering your bloodstream over an extended period.

IV infusion is particularly beneficial for cancer therapy. The drugs used in chemotherapy are too toxic to swallow and need to be administered gradually. IV treatment bypasses your digestive system, allowing greater uptake of the medication by your cells.

Are there different types of IV infusion?

At South Brooklyn Care, the team offers several types of IV infusion, including:

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses prescription medications to destroy cancerous cells, shrink tumors, and/or stop cancer from spreading. There are several types of chemotherapy, most administered via injections or IV.

Immunotherapies (monoclonal antibodies)

Monoclonal antibodies are artificial antibodies created in a lab.  When administered intravenously, the antibodies attack and destroy proteins called antigens. This process strengthens your immune system, helping you fight cancer.

What does IV infusion involve?

The South Brooklyn Care team provides IV infusions on-site in their comfortable and spalike facilities.

You can sit in a private suite or in a large room with other people during treatment.

Before the infusion begins, your provider cleans your skin and gently inserts an IV line into a vein on your inner forearm or the back of your hand. The IVs are attached to a bag filled with medication (either chemotherapy or monoclonal antibodies).

You can read, nap, or watch TV while the medication enters your body. When the infusion’s finished, your provider carefully removes the needle, bandages the insertion site, and provides recovery instructions.

Most IV infusions take 60-90 minutes. The drugs used in the treatment are very potent, so make sure you get plenty of rest for the rest of the day.

What is recovery like after IV infusion?

After IV infusion, the team monitors you for 15-20 minutes, making sure you don’t have an allergic reaction. During the days after your infusion, it’s normal to experience mild side effects, including redness, swelling, or sensitivity at the needle insertion site. These symptoms should go away within 48 hours, but if they continue or get worse, contact your provider.

Call South Brooklyn Care today to learn more about IV infusions, or book your appointment online.