title: Totally implantable central venous access ports. Analysis of 700 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular access has great importance in the treatment of patients submitted to prolonged chemotherapy. Purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of the percutaneous insertion and use of totally implantable central venous access ports (TICVAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 10-year period, 700 TICVAP were inserted into cancer patients for chemotherapy. Early and late complications and their management were recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 700 catheters implanted, 126 (18%) presented one or more types of early and late complication. Removal of 262 catheters was performed, of which 216 (82.4%) were elective indications due to the termination of the treatment and 46 (17.6%) resulted from complications that could not be controlled using clinical measures. In 280 patients (40%), the catheter remained functional until the patient's death, and 158 patients (22.5%) are still making use of their catheters for clinical treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low rate of complications according to this study confirms the safety and convenience of the percutaneous insertion and use of TICVAP in patients undergoing prolonged chemotherapy regimens and explains the increasing use of these devices in current medical oncology practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Theagenio Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barbetakis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Asteriou
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleontas
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsilikas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents