Intraperitoneal therapy administered through a Groshong catheter

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Devices
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Intraperitoneal therapy is a crucial treatment modality for epithelial ovarian cancer.
• Existing devices for intraperitoneal therapy delivery can have complications and require surgical removal.
• There is a need for safe, reliable, and easily removable devices for intraperitoneal drug administration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety, reliability, and efficacy of the Groshong catheter for intraperitoneal therapy in patients with presumed epithelial ovarian cancer.
• To assess the complication rates, catheter patency, and patient acceptance of the Groshong catheter system.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 24 patients with presumed epithelial ovarian cancer.
• Transabdominal placement of 27 externally accessed Groshong catheters at the conclusion of laparotomy.
• Administration of 57 cycles of intraperitoneal therapy through 18 catheters.

Main Results:

• No complications were observed during catheter placement or removal.
• Catheters remained patent and in place without obstruction or dislodgement.
• One exit-site infection occurred; the device-related infection rate was 4.2 per 100 patients.
• Catheter maintenance was easy, and patient acceptance was favorable.

Conclusions:

• The Groshong catheter is a safe, reliable, and acceptable device for delivering intraperitoneal therapy.
• The non-surgical removal of the Groshong catheter facilitates its empirical placement during laparotomy.
• The device demonstrates comparable infection rates to other implanted systems, with good patient outcomes.