Interventional radiology with venous port (chemotherapy and infusional support)

A completely portable permanent central venous access, consisting of a steel capsule sealed with a silicone membrane and connected to a silicone catheter (Port-a-Cath), was implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of 36 patients, most of whom no longer had accessible peripheral veins and needed to continue chemotherapy or undergo total parenteral nutrition. The access vessel was mostly the subclavian vein and the capsule was sutured to the pectoral fascia. Total subcutaneous implantation seems to afford optimum safety from infection and freedom for personal hygiene, produced no noteworthy complications and proved relatively simple to maintain.