title: Totally implantable venous access ports: retrospective review of long-term complications in 81 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) has become an essential prerequisite for many chemotherapy protocols. It is serving its purpose very well, but its use is not without complications. We are presenting our experience with these devices (TIVAPs).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the totally implantable venous access ports in 81 patients at our hospital between January 2009 and March 2011 for long-term problems which include postoperative and follow-up problems, excluding the immediate complications which occur at the time of insertion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Catheter malfunction was the most common complication (9.87%, 0.40/1000 device-days of use/observation). Catheter-related bloodstream infections were present in 5 (6.17%) patients (0.25/1000 device-days of use/observation). The mean life of the catheter was 246 days. Only 11.1% ports required removal during the treatment period. Overall, patients either completed treatment (82.8%) or died (6.1%) while receiving treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TIVAPs provide safe and reliable vascular access for patients on chemotherapy but require utmost care by a dedicated team of trained medical professionals and paramedics experienced with the use of such ports, in order to minimize the complications and their continued use while administering treatment.
authors: Department of Surgical Oncology, Rockland Hospital, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi, India.
authors: K K
authors: KK
authors: Bassi
authors: A K
authors: AK
authors: Giri
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pattanayak
authors: S W
authors: SW
authors: Abraham
authors: K K
authors: KK
authors: Pandey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*