PREPARING TO INJECT
The groin is a hot and sweaty area where bacteria and fungus breed. The best way to reduce the risk of abscesses and ulcers is to inject in the most sterile conditions possible.
This means you should:
• Have everything you might need for injecting ready in a clean place where you won’t be disturbed and you can take time to do it properly.
• Before you inject into the femoral vein, be prepared for accidents. Have a clean towel, cloth, cotton or tissue paper ready in case you hit the artery and keep disinfectant and other materials to clean up blood spills nearby. You may also want to be near a phone and have the number of an ambulance, or someone who will be able to help quickly in case anything goes wrong.
• Always use new injecting equipment including needles, syringes, filters, spoons, sterile water, etc. If you can, wipe the spoon or cup you will put the solution in with an alcohol swab, and if you don’t have sterile water, use water that has been boiled for 15 minutes. It is a good idea to have spare injecting equipment in case you have trouble finding the vein. You don’t want to be poking around in your groin with a blunt needle if you can avoid it.
• You will need a long 1.5 inch needle to reach the vein. It is best to use a needle that is thicker than than the usual needles (21 or 23 gauge) and is fixed to the barrel to keep the needle from breaking off in your groin. The usual needles are 27 or 29 gauge, and are used because they do less damage to veins than thicker needles.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap before injecting.
• Always wash the site where you will inject (in this case the groin area) with soap and water, and wipe with an alcohol swab before injecting.
FINDING THE FEMORAL VEIN
After washing your hands and swabbing the injection site, find the position that is most comfortable for you. Some people prefer to sit and some prefer to stand when injecting into the femoral vein.
1. Find the femoral PULSE in your right groin.
2. Gently put the middle finger of your right hand on the pulse. (if injecting into your left groin, use the left hand)
3. Let your index finger rest beside the middle finger.
4. The femoral vein should be somewhere below the index finger.
Note: If you are already injecting into the femoral veins on both legs, you may want to continue to use the veins in both legs. However, if you have only used the vein in one leg, it may be best to stay with the vein you have found rather than risk hitting the nerve or artery in the other leg when searching for the vein.
INJECTING INTO THE FEMORAL VEIN
1. Carefully insert the needle next to the index finger with the needle pointing in the direction of your heart.
2. Push the needle in straight (at about a 90 degree angle to the leg).
3. Pull back the plunger and check that the needle is in the vein. If it is in the vein the syringe will fill with dark red blood.
4. Inject the solution slowly and remove the needle gently to avoid damaging the vein.
5. Use the clean towel or tissue paper to stop the bleeding.
Press lightly on the injection site for at least a minute then check to see if the bleeding has stopped or reduced. If you are continuing to bleed heavily lie back, raise the leg and continue to press on the injection site with the clean towel, and prepare for further action in case of continuing blood loss.
6. Keep the area clean after injecting.
This information may help you inject safer if you are injecting in the femoral vein. However, there are significant risks involved with femoral injecting and we would advise you to try to use safer alternatives if you can. Always seek medical help if anything goes wrong.