[Satisfaction and personal experience of subcutaneous vascular access in 50 oncological patients].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the personal experience of patients with central venous access (CVA) devices: satisfaction, fears and concerns, the influence of the devices on their daily lives, and the healthcare received.


METHODS
We performed a descriptive, longitudinal, prospective study in a sample of 50 patients with CVA devices withdrawn in the Angiography Unit of the Hospital de Navarra between August 1, 2006 and March 1, 2007. A 26-item questionnaire (Likert-like 5-point scale) was used. The statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 13.0 package.


RESULTS
Fifty patients were interviewed, 18 men and 32 women, with a mean age of 52.54 years. The most frequent disease was colon cancer. The mean catheter dwell time was 369.52 days and the most frequent complication was hematoma.


CONCLUSIONS
The patients were satisfied with the device and would be willing to have another inserted, if necessary. Patients tended not to worry about complications and perceived the catheter as a foreign body. Arm movement was hardly restricted. Nursing care of the device was deficient in some patients.
Lizarbe Chocarro
Marta
M
Servicio de Radiología Vascular Intervencionista, Hospital de Navarra, Pamplona, España. berbinlizarbe@hotmail.com
D000328:Adult; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies