[Practical procedure of totally implanted venous access system for outpatient cancer therapy]

Some outpatient cancer chemotherapy has been replacing inpatient chemotherapy. A totally implanted venous access system is now available for patients who undergo cancer chemotherapy on an outpatient basis. All eleven outpatients who underwent cancer chemotherapy with this system underwent placement of the port and administration of chemotherapy. Complications were observed in two of these eleven patients (18%). Because a subcutaneous abscess occurred in one patient between the placement of the port and her first chemotherapy session, we had to remove the port system once. Another patient developed fungemia, so we discontinued the system after 95 outpatient chemotherapy sessions. When the infection healed, we set up the system again, and no trouble was observed later in these two cases. According to the patients' survey, all patients were satisfied with outpatient chemotherapy using this system. Therefore, we concluded that this system contributes to enhanced quality of life among outpatients who undergo cancer chemotherapy.