Radiological and surgical placement of port devices: a 4-year institutional analysis of procedure performance, quality of life and cost in breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
The present study is designed to evaluate and compare percutaneous radiologic arm port (R) and surgical subclavian port (S) devices in two homogeneous sets of breast cancer patients in terms of safety, efficacy, quality of life (QoL) and cost analysis.


METHODS
This study involved a retrospective review of a prospective databank including 200 consecutive port device implantation attempted procedures performed over a 4-year period, in two similar groups of 100 breast cancer women who underwent either the surgical cephalic vein cutdown approach or the percutaneous basilic vein catheterization for intravenous adjuvant chemotherapy. Parameters analyzed included technical success, procedure duration, complications, QoL and cost evaluation for both techniques.


RESULTS
The success rate for port implantation was higher for R than for S placement (96% versus 91%). Mean implant duration time was 5.6 and 7.6 months for R and S, respectively. The overall complication rate was 10 and 16% for R and S, respectively. Mean implant duration time, without any complication or death, was 6.4 and 7.8 months for R and S, respectively. Six and seven percent for R and S, respectively, had to be removed prematurely. Both techniques exhibited very good QoL. Direct costs were respectively euro 230.8 and 219.1 for R and S, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The significant advantages of R over S include higher success rate, higher cosmetic results despite a 15% relative overcost for R placement. Both are indicated for breast cancer chemotherapy treatment, nevertheless R placement is mandatory in anxious patients who fear surgery, in case of previous cervico-thoracic irradiation or upper extremity venous thrombosis, or in patients at risk of respiratory insufficiency.
Radiology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nice, France.
P-Y
PY
Marcy
N
N
Magné
P
P
Castadot
C
C
Bailet
J-C
JC
Macchiavello
M
M
Namer
J-C
JC
Gallard
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016748:Venous Cutdown / Q000379:methods
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents