title: Femoral catheters: safety and efficacy in peripheral blood stem cell collection.
abstract: Central venous access is necessary in patients candidate for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection. We report our experience with a dual lumen femoral catheter (Gamcath, 11 french), initially designed for hemodialysis. We studied 147 patients and performed 488 collections after mobilization with either G-CSF alone or chemotherapy + G-CSF, when the white blood cell count exceeded 1 x 10(9)/L, or when a measurable population of CD34+ cells (20/microL) was detected in peripheral blood. All patients received systemic anticoagulation with a low weight heparin and ultrasound examination was performed after the removal of the catheter. Seven patients developed thrombosis (4.7%), ten experienced hematomas at the site of catheter placement (6.8%) despite prophylactic platelet transfusions, while only one patient (0.6%) had a catheter-related infection. In conclusion, the short-term use of large bore femoral catheters in setting up PBSC collection seems to be associated with minimal risk of infection and low thrombotic incidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, University of Roma Tor Vergata St. Eugenio Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adorno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zinno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ballatore
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cudillo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Poeta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riccitelli
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Del Principe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchitelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morosetti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isacchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amadori
mesh_terms: D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes