Port-A-Cath usage in children with haemophilia: experience of 53 cases.
Experience of the Port-A-Cath implantable venous access system in 53 children with severe or moderate haemophilia A or B from seven centres in five countries is reviewed. The cumulative duration of follow-up was 1578 months (median 30 months, range 1-114). Of the devices implanted, 70% (37/53) were used without complications (median follow-up 32 months; range 1-114) and the remaining 30% (16/53) were associated with various types of complication: infection, bacteraemia or septicaemia in 56% (9/16) of cases, i.e. a rate of 0.07 per follow-up year or 0.19 per 1000 patient days, or various technical complications occurring after a median of 32 months (range 4-75) of uncomplicated use in the remaining 44% (7/16). Of the patients with inhibitors, 64% (7/11) manifested complications. Both doctors and parents considered that the Port-A-Cath device can be used with an acceptable frequency and severity of complications, and that it enables regular prophylactic or on-demand home treatment of children with haemophilia to be begun at an early age.
Ljung
R
R
Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
van den Berg
M
M
Petrini
P
P
Tengborn
L
L
Scheibel
E
E
Kekomäki
R
R
Effenberger
W
W
D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012189:Retrospective Studies