A randomized-controlled trial on the effectiveness of topical sesame oil in preventing phlebitis at intravenous cannula sites in adult patients

Aim To determine the effectiveness of topical sesame oil in preventing phlebitis at peripheral IV cannula sites in adult patients within a cardiovascular and cardiothoracic department of a tertiary hospital. Design A double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted. Methods Participants were randomly assigned into control (liquid paraffin oil) and treatment (sesame oil) groups. Randomization was carried out using a Microsoft Excel generated randomized-number table using the RANDBETWEEN function. Five drops of sesame oil or mineral oil was applied to the IV cannula site at 12-h intervals, for a maximum duration of 72 h. A modified Visual Infusion Phlebitis (VIP) scale was utilized to assess for phlebitis severity before every application. Results A total of 263 participants were recruited. Six withdrew and seven were excluded after recruitment. 250 participants had their data analysed (121 in the treatment arm and 129 in the control arm). Three participants developed itching after the application of liquid paraffin oil and had their interventions discontinued. Results showed a lower phlebitis incidence in the treatment group (9.1%) compared to the control group (15.5%), though it was not found to be statistically significant ( p = 0.12). Additionally, participants who received topical sesame oil experienced phlebitis scores no higher than 2, whereas in the control group, two participants recorded phlebitis scores of 3. Conclusion While this research suggests the potential benefits of topical sesame oil in preventing and reducing the severity of phlebitis, further investigation is crucial for more conclusive evidence and broader applicability.