Hypodermoclysis for symptom control in terminal care.

Subcutaneous infusions of fluid and electrolytes can be used for replacement and correction of imbalance, by a method known as hypodermoclysis (HDC). Since April 1982, the Palliative Care Unit of the Edmonton General Hospital has been using this method for symptom control, titrating the rate of infusion against the severity of the symptoms, when the oral route was no longer available. If incompatible drugs have to be given at the same time, or if two drugs have to be given at different rates, two sites are used simultaneously. HDC is an adequate method of symptom control for terminal patients; it has advantages over intravenous, intermittent subcutaneous or intramuscular routes and rectal infusion, when used as described.