title: Long-term Outcome of Peripherally Implanted Venous Access Ports in the Forearm in Female Cancer Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the long-term outcome of peripherally implanted venous access ports in the forearm at our institution in a female patient collective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 2002 and May 2011, a total of 293 female patients with an underlying malignancy had 299 forearm ports implanted in our interventional radiology suite. The mean age of the cohort was 55 ± 12 years (range 26-81 years). The majority of women suffered from breast (59.5 %) or ovarian cancer (28.1 %). Complications were classified as infectious complications, thrombotic and nonthrombotic catheter dysfunction (dislocation of the catheter or port chamber, fracture with/without embolization or kinking of the catheter, port occlusion), and others.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed a total of 90,276 catheter days in 248 port systems (47 patients were lost to follow-up). The mean device service interval was 364 days per catheter (range 8-2,132, median 223 days, CI 311-415, SD 404). Sixty-seven early (≤ 30 days from implantation) or late complications (>30 days) occurred during the observation period (0.74/1,000 catheter days). Common complications were port infection (0.18/1,000 days), thrombotic dysfunction (0.12/1,000 days), and skin dehiscence (0.12/1,000 days). Nonthrombotic dysfunction occurred in a total of 21 cases (0.23/1,000 days) and seemed to cumulate on the venous catheter entry site on the distal upper arm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peripherally implanted venous access ports in the forearm are a safe alternative to chest or upper-arm ports in female oncology patients. Special attention should be paid to signs of skin dehiscence and nonthrombotic dysfunction, especially when used for long-term treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127, Bonn, Germany, l.kloesges@uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Klösges
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boschewitz
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rudlowski
authors.forename: Hans H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies