[Hickman catheter for long-term parenteral therapy. A prospective interdisciplinary study]

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Vascular Access
• Oncology Supportive Care

Background:

• Central venous access catheters are crucial for long-term parenteral nutrition and chemotherapy.
• Silicone rubber catheters, such as Broviac-type and Groshong, are commonly used for such therapies.
• Assessing the long-term safety and efficacy of these devices is essential for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the performance and complications of silicone rubber central venous access catheters.
• To compare the outcomes of Broviac-type and Groshong catheters in a patient cohort.
• To determine the cumulative patency and functional rates of these catheters over time.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 160 patients (median age 38 years) with silicone rubber central venous access catheters.
• Inclusion of Broviac-type and Groshong catheter types.
• Monitoring for intraoperative complications, therapy success, catheter removal reasons, and patient survival.

Main Results:

• No intraoperative complications were observed.
• 124 patients (81%) received parenteral therapy without complications.
• 40 catheters were removed prematurely due to complications (occlusion in 9, suspected sepsis in 17).
• A cumulative patency rate of 90% at 12 months was observed for both catheter types.
• The cumulative rate of functioning catheters was significantly lower at 44% due to early removals.

Conclusions:

• Silicone rubber central venous access catheters demonstrate high cumulative patency.
• Catheter-related complications, including occlusion and sepsis, necessitate early removal in a significant proportion of patients.
• While patency is high, the functional rate is considerably lower, highlighting the need for strategies to mitigate complications.