[Equipment surveillance of implantable catheter ports (1996-1998). Members of Sub-Commissions 4a and 4b for Equipment Surveillance].
We analyse all incident reports to the French Health Ministry over the 1996-1998 period, concerning implantable catheter ports. They represent 7% of all reports in the field of anaesthesia and intensive care. Two hundred eleven reports have been analysed. There were 93 catheter ruptures with 77 intravascular migrations. In more than 50% of cases, a pinch-off syndrome mechanism was responsible of these ruptures and a displacement of the O'ring was involved in 25%. Additional minor complications were reported and discussed in regard to literature. We conclude that implantable catheter ports may lead to serious incidents which are preventable in most cases.
Conreux
F
F
Département d'anesthésie, CHU d'Angers, France.
Beydon
L
L
Safran
D
D
Cazalaà
J B
JB
D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012308:Risk Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013314:Stress, Mechanical