Our central venous port catheter system practice - a retrospective study

To evaluate indications for insertion, complications and indications of central venous port catheters, and to identify indications for their removal.

The retrospective study was conducted at Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, and comprised data from January 2006 to June 2014 of patients who had central venous port catheters. The indications for removal of the catheters were also evaluated.

Of the 1198 patients whose records were reviewed, 605(50.5%) were women and 593(49.5%) were men. The overall mean age was 52.3±12.78 years. Of the total, 1142(95.33%) cases related to chemotherapy treatment. There were 127(10.6%) complications; the most common being catheter occlusion 46(36.2%). The catheters were removed in 182(15.2%) patients. Among them, 83(45.6%) catheters were removed because they were no more needed.

In the light of the findings, there is a need for standardised guidelines for evaluation before central venous port catheter insertion and follow-up after insertion to detect and to avoid possible complications.