title: Direct translumbar inferior vena cava ports for long-term central venous access in patients with cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the indications, complications, and long-term results of translumbar port placements to the inferior vena cava for long-term central venous access in a single tertiary center.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included all patients with cancer who underwent translumbar port placement from January 2000 to July 2012; 31 patients (all women) with an average age of 53.1 years ± 11.1 (range, 30-77 y) were included in the study. Of these patients, 26 (81%) had breast cancer, 3 had lung cancer, 1 had ovarian cancer, and 1 had rectal cancer. Indications included central venous occlusion in 9 patients (29%) and bilateral mastectomy and lymph node dissection in 22 patients (71%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All procedures were technically successful. The overall 30-day complication rate was 9.7% (n = 3). Average catheter use was 14.1 months ± 21 (range, 0.75-108 mo). Thirteen (41.9%) ports were removed because they were no longer needed; 4 (12.9%) ports required removal for port malfunction; 12 (38.7%) patients died with their ports still in place; 2 (6.5%) ports remain in use. Three (9.7%) ports required delayed secondary intervention to remain functional. One patient had a systemic infection attributed to the port, resulting in an overall infection rate of 0.08 per 1,000 catheter days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Translumbar inferior vena cava port placement is a technically feasible and safe alternative method for long-term central venous access.
authors: Department of Imaging, Section of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 290, Boston, MA 02114. Electronic address: sganguli@partners.org.
authors: Selim R
authors: SR
authors: Butros
authors: Department of Imaging, Section of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 290, Boston, MA 02114.
authors: T Gregory
authors: TG
authors: Walker
authors: Department of Imaging, Section of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 290, Boston, MA 02114.
authors: Gloria M
authors: GM
authors: Salazar
authors: Department of Imaging, Section of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 290, Boston, MA 02114.
authors: Sanjeeva P
authors: SP
authors: Kalva
authors: Department of Imaging, Section of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 290, Boston, MA 02114.
authors: Rahmi
authors: R
authors: Oklu
authors: Department of Imaging, Section of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 290, Boston, MA 02114.
authors: Stephan
authors: S
authors: Wicky
authors: Department of Imaging, Section of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 290, Boston, MA 02114.
authors: Suvranu
authors: S
authors: Ganguli
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001900:Boston; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D062905:Central Venous Catheters; D020878:Device Removal; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents