[Percutaneous implant of Hickman catheters and reservoirs. Long-term experience].
OBJECTIVE
To report our experience with long term external catheters and implantable ports in the last 8 years.


METHODS
From December 1987 to August 1995 a total of 617 central venous catheters were implanted in 541 patients in our Interventionist Vascular Radiology Unit, 265 men (49%) and 276 women (51%), with a mean age of 46 years. A total of 335 (54%) were partially implantable external catheters and 241 (39%) implantable ports in chest and 41 (7%) in the forearm.


RESULTS
A technical success--defined as the possibility of implanting the catheter--was achieved in 98% of cases. Immediate complications included 5 pneumothorax (0.8%), 11 accidental carotid artery puncture (2%) with no clinical relevance, 18 catheter misplacement (3%), and 8 vein spasm (1%). Fifty-two catheters (8%) were removed on account of infectious complications. Currently, 71 catheters are still in use (12%), 433 (70%) have been removed or the catheter was patent until patients's death.


CONCLUSIONS
Partially implantable central venous catheters and totally implantable ports are a safe alternative in patients requiring a central venous access for prolonged treatments. The low number of immediate complications renders the Interventionist Vascular Radiology Unit the proper place where to perform these procedures.
Carreira Villamor
J M
JM
Unidad de Radiología Vascular e Intervencionista, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Pino, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Islas Canarias.
Reyes Pérez
R
R
Pulido-Duque
J M
JM
Gorriz Gómez
E
E
Pardo
M D
MD
Argiles Vives
J M
JM
Eyheremendy
E P
EP
Maynar Moliner
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged