title: Port-A-Cath in children during long-term chemotherapy: complications and outcome.
abstract: Complications related to Port-A-Cath were studied prospectively during a period of 32 months in 31 patients, aged 1-18 years, with leukemias and solid tumors. There were 34 Port-A-Cath inserted, and the cumulative time for these catheters kept in place was 5899 days. No complications occurred in 18 patients (19 catheters) kept in place for a cumulative time of 3998 days with an average duration of 210 days (12-550 days). In 13 patients (15 catheters) there were 14 events of systemic infections; seven events were treated successfully with antibiotics, four events necessitated the extraction of the catheter (in one patient a combination of systemic and local infection), and in three events the catheters were kept unused, as the patients were in terminal stages. Nonsystemic complications occurred with five catheters; two local infections, two obstructions (catheters removed), and one local bleeding (catheter kept unused). Appropriate antimicrobial treatment of systemic infections enables the immunocompromised child to keep the Port-A-Cath in place for a long time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: al-Hathal
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malmfors
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garwicz
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Békássy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003023:Cloxacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003023:Cloxacillin