1.
intravenous infusion; IV drip; infusion fluid
The medical procedure of administering large volumes of fluid (saline, glucose, electrolytes, nutrients, or medication) into a patient's vein over a sustained period, or the fluid itself that is administered. Used to correct dehydration, restore electrolyte balance, deliver drugs, or provide nutrition to patients who cannot eat or drink.
While the patient cannot eat, nutrition has to be supplemented through IV infusion.
Composed of 輸 (to transport; to convey, as in 輸送 'transport') and 液 (liquid). Literally 'transported liquid,' the term covers both the act of infusion and the bagged solution itself.
Usage
A technical medical term used by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and in patient charts. The everyday word a patient is more likely to use is 点滴 (drip), which refers to the same procedure from the patient's point of view. 輸液 is preferred when discussing the formulation, volume, or rate (輸液速度 'infusion rate'), while 点滴 is preferred when describing the bedside experience. Distinct from 輸血, which is the transfusion of blood specifically.
Common collocations
- 輸液を行う: to perform an infusion
- 輸液療法: infusion therapy
- 輸液ポンプ: infusion pump
- 維持輸液: maintenance infusion (to maintain fluid balance)
- 高カロリー輸液: high-calorie (parenteral) nutrition