title: Flow confirmation study for central venous port in oncologic outpatient undergoing chemotherapy: evaluation of suspected system-related mechanical complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and outcome of a flow confirmation study (FCS) in oncologic outpatients undergoing chemotherapy suspected of a central venous port (CVP) system-related mechanical complication.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 66 patients (27 men, 39 women; mean age, 60 years) received FCS for the following reasons: prolonged infusion time during chemotherapy (n=32), inability to inject saline fluid (n=15), lateral neck and/or back pain (n=6), subcutaneous extravasation of anticancer drug (n=5), arm swelling (n=4), and inability to puncture the port (n=4). FCS consisted of examining the position of CVP, potential secondary shifts or fractures, and integrity of the system using contrast material through the port.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 66 patients, 43 had an abnormal finding uncovered by FCS. The most frequent abnormal findings was catheter kinking (n=22). Explantation and reimplantation of the CVP system was required in 21 of the 66 patients. Remaining 45 patients were able continue using the CVP system after the FCS without any system malfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FCS was effective for evaluating CVP system-related mechanical complications and was useful for deciding whether CVP system explantation and reimplantation was required.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Japan; Department of Radiology, Kobe University, Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. Electronic address: ksofue@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Keitaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sofue
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Kazuro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D062905:Central Venous Catheters; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Central venous port; Digital subtraction angiography; Fluoroscopy; Mechanical complication; Oncologic patient