[Technical indications and results of totally implantable catheter systems]

The development of the total implantable catheters has produced a lot of benefits, specially in oncological patients, who save venose punctions for blood controls and for administration of cytostatics. Important conditions for the success of the catheters are to avoid unnecessary manuvres during the surgical act and the postoperative care. In the University Hospital of Münster 68 children have been treated between 1984 and 1988 with this system. The implantation was mostly performed in oncological patients but also in patients who needed a total parenteral nutrition. With optical and electronic microscope studies has been observed that in the inside part of the Port and the catheter, deposits with different characteristics have been found. These deposits could be divided in four groups depending on the structure.