Intraperitoneal chemotherapy: analysis of complications with an implanted subcutaneous port and catheter system

To determine the morbidity associated with delivery of intraperitoneal chemotherapy via subcutaneous semipermanent infusion catheters, we analyzed the data on 227 patients treated from April 1985 through December 1989. A total of 249 catheters were inserted and used to administer chemotherapy in these patients. There were 40 (17.6%) complications associated with the use of 230 original catheters, with 20 patients experiencing catheter inflow obstruction and 20 developing catheter-related infections; the latter group included 8 patients with bowel perforations. Although there was a trend toward an increase in catheter-related infections in association with large bowel surgery and appendectomies, sample size limited statistical analysis. There were 7 (36.8%) complications associated with the use of 19 replacement catheters. This rate was significantly increased (P = 0.03) when compared with the complication rate of original catheters. This system functions well and has an acceptable level of morbidity for delivery of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in gynecologic cancer patients.