ADVANTAGES OF TOTALLY IMPLANTED SYSTEM FOR INTRAVENOUS CHEMOTHERAPY

We retrospectively evaluated the performance and rate of early and long term complications with the port-catheter (Implantofix/B. Braun Melsungen AG), a totally implanted vascular access system. The catheter was implanted in 50 patients with solid tumors who were treated with chemotherapy lacked peripheral venous sites. Complications with the catheter consisted of trombotic occlusion (two patients, 4%) and two possible episodes of infection (4%) which were not confirmed by bacteriologic examination. The catheters were removed in these patients and new catheters implanted in two. Skin necrosis in one (2%) and cytostatic paravasation in one (2%) patient were detected as port amplications. The results suggest that this system appears to be an alternative means of safe and reliable central venous access with better psychological and cosmetic acceptability.