[Fever in children with hematologic neoplastic diseases and implanted Broviac-Hickman catheters]

A safe and effective method of venous access is important in the care and treatment of patients with malignancies. Thirty-seven Broviac-Hickman catheters were inserted in 32 children with haematological neoplastic disease. The mean indwelling time of the catheters was 7014 days. The catheters were used to administer chemotherapy and other drugs, blood products, and as well as to draw blood. Fever occurred 96 times. Forty-three percent of fever episodes were related to clinically documented infections and in 15% of cases, to catheter-related bacteremia caused by Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains in equivalent proportions. Fever was observed with a two fold greater incidence in patients with severe granulocytopenia (< 0.5 G/l).