title: Port-A-Cath infections in children with cancer.
abstract: Implanted subcutaneous (s.c.) central venous port accesses including Port-A-Cath (PAC) facilitate the administration of chemotherapy or blood products and are frequently used in children with cancer. The incidence of PAC-related infections was determined in 155 consecutive paediatric cancer patients with PAC followed for a total of 134,773 days (median, 738; range, 25-2080). Overall, 48 bloodstream infections occurred in 26 patients. 12 (25%) of these infections and 3 local infections at the insertion site were treatment-resistant and demanded removal of the PAC. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were involved in 12 of these 15 episodes. The rate of clearly PAC-related infections in this so far largest reported series was 0.11 episodes per 1000 PAC days, one of the lowest in the literature. Although catheter-related infections demanded PAC removal in 8% of our patients, the long periods PAC were in use and their benefits argue for continued PAC use in the paediatric cancer population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, Zurich 8032, Switzerland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hengartner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nadal
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Niggli
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Grotzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors