Implantable devices for central venous access in cancer patients. Our experience in 217 cases

BACKGROUND
The need of having a venous via available for infusion of chemotherapy treatment along with the difficulty of repeated venous access in oncological patients has lead to the ever more frequent placement of central venous access systems (CVAS) implanted into subcutaneous tissue.

METHODS
From February 1985 to December 1990 217 CVAS were implanted in 205 oncological patients. Twenty-six were Port-a-Cath and 191 were Implantofix.

RESULTS
The average of complications was 0.08/100 days of implantation with an incidence of catheter thrombosis obstruction of 0.03/100 days and system infection of 0.02/100 days. Currently 81 devices continue functioning with 23 having been withdrawn due to complications and 17 for completion of the treatment to which they had been submitted. Ninety-one patients died during this follow up.

CONCLUSIONS
The CVAS are devices which are of easy placement, simple handling, requiring minimum care and few complications. Their efficacy is confirmed by the analysis of the data presented in the present study.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO Med Clin (Barc). 1992 May 16;98(19):731-3