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.
Department of Gynecology, Medical Faculty of Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Atanas
A
Ignatov
Tanja
T
Ignatov
Andrei
A
Taran
Bobbie
B
Smith
Serban-Dan
SD
Costa
Joachim
J
Bischoff
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