[Periinterventional prophylactic antibiotics in radiological port catheter implantation]

To evaluate whether catheter-related infections after radiologically placed port catheters can be reduced by single-shot periinterventional antibiosis.

Between January and September 2002, 164 consecutive patients with indication for central venous port catheter implantation were included in the present study. During implantation the interventional radiologist was responsible for deciding whether to administer a prophylactic single-shot antibiosis. The prophylactic antibiosis entailed intravenous administration of ampicillin and sulbactam (3 g Unacid, Pfizer) or 100 mg ciprofloxacine (Ciprobay, Bayer) in the case of an allergy history to penicillins. Catheter-related infection was defined as a local or systemic infection necessitating port catheter extraction.

Indication for port catheter implantation was a malignant disease requiring chemotherapy in 158 cases. The port catheter (Chemosite [Tyco Healthcare] [n = 123], low-profile [Arrow International] [n = 35], other port system [n = 6]) was implanted via sonographically guided puncture of the right jugular vein in 139 patients, via the left jugular vein in 24 cases and via the right subclavian vein in one patient. 75 patients received periinterventional prophylactic antibiosis (Unacid [n = 63] Ciprobay [n = 12]) and 89 patients did not receive antibiosis. The prophylactic antibiosis caused a minor allergic reaction in one patient that improved with antihistamic and corticoid medication. A total of 7 ports, 6 without prophylactic antibiosis versus one with periinterventional prophylaxis, were extracted due to infectious complications.

Single-shot periinterventional prophylactic antibiosis can reduce early and late infectious complications after radiological-interventional placement of central venous port catheters.