Interval between port catheter flushing can be extended to four months.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about proper interval periods between the flushings of totally implantable access ports after completion of chemotherapy. Manufacturer guidelines recommend flushing catheters every 4 weeks.


METHODS
This retrospective study examined whether flushing less than every 4 weeks conferred any benefit.


RESULTS
349 totally implanted access ports were divided into four groups based on the different durations of the intervals between flushings. Sixteen (4.6%) complications were observed in the study population.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that extending the flushing interval to up to 4 months remains medically safe and drastically reduces the costs.
Ignatov
Atanas
A
Department of Gynecology, Medical Faculty of Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Ignatov
Tanja
T
Taran
Andrei
A
Smith
Bobbie
B
Costa
Serban-Dan
SD
Bischoff
Joachim
J
D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents