Effectiveness of Sesame Oil on the Prevention of Phlebitis Among Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Objectives Phlebitis, an inflammation of the vein causing pain and swelling, occurs in up to 70% of chemotherapy patients, increasing the risk of thrombophlebitis and embolism. This study aimed to assess the preventive effect of sesame oil on phlebitis among patients receiving chemotherapy. Material and Methods The study was conducted among 70 chemotherapy patients at a tertiary hospital in Karad. The patients were randomly assigned to experimental ( n = 35) and control ( n = 35) groups. The experimental group received topical sesame oil (10 drops daily for 14 days) on the anterior forearm, while the control group received routine care. Phlebitis was assessed using the visual infusion phlebitis (VIP) scale, and data were analyzed using descriptive, unpaired t-test, and chi-square statistics. Results In the experimental group, 87.88% showed no signs of phlebitis, 9.09% had possible first signs, and 3.03% were in the early stage. In contrast, 60% of the control group showed no signs, 31.43% had possible first signs, and 8.57% were in the early stage. The mean post-test score was 0.1515 ± 0.4417 for the experimental group and 0.4857 ± 0.6585 for the control group. ( t-value = 2.443; p = 0.0173). No significant association was found between phlebitis and demographic variables except gender in the control group. Conclusion The findings suggest that the external application of sesame oil helps to reduce chemotherapy-induced phlebitis. A significant gender association was noted only in the control group.