[Infectious complications from intraventricular route of administration in cancer patients]

Intraventricular drug administration via the IR is often used in the therapy of leukemic and carcinomatous meningitis. We reviewed our 10-year experience with 32 patients, with IR placed for intraventricular chemotherapy to characterize infectious complications associated with IR. Infectious complications occurred in 9 patients (27.1%). Local cellulitis (S. aureus) occurred at the site of IR in 2 patients. Seven patients (21.8%) had 12 episodes of bacteriologically proven or clinically suspected meningitis, or positive IR CSF cultures without symptoms (4-P. acnes). While patients with local infection may require IR removal, more than half of those with meningitis may be treated with antibiotics alone without IR removal. Patients with positive cultures in the absence of symptoms may require no therapy at all.