Subcutaneous infusion in palliative care: the neria soft infusion set.

Patients approaching the end of their life may be unable to tolerate the administration of oral medication owing to their underlying disease and/or symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. Subcutaneous infusion is an alternative route of administration that offers several advantages over oral and intravenous routes. This product focus article provides an overview of subcutaneous infusion, including how the selection of the most appropriate infusion device can greatly contribute to the overall comfort of the patient. This in turn minimises the potential for premature device loss, which can lead to repeated insertion procedures for the patient, increases the potential for infection, and has resource implications. The article then describes the neria soft infusion set, as well as providing case studies of its use.