[Totally implantable venous access systems. Analysis of complications]

Totally implantable central venous access devices (Port-a-Cath, PaC) allow better treatment of cancer patients, with safe administration of chemotherapeutic agents, and are well accepted by the patients. The aim of the present paper is to analyze the complications of the different implant techniques on the basis of a personal experience of 92 central venous access devices.

A total of 92 PaC (Port-a-Cath, Pharmacia: Celsite Braun) have been implanted in 88 patients between August 1992 and June 1995 for cancer treatment. Age ranged between 19 and 79 years (median 52 years), 56 were male and 32 women. PaC have been implanted by percutaneous cannulation of the subclavian vein, with Seldinger technique, in 34 cases; by venous cutdown respectively on the cephalic vein in 46 cases, the jugular vein in 7 cases, the basilar vein in 4 and the saphenous vein in 1 case. Four patients experienced a double implant. In 84 cases the implant was done under local anesthesia, while in 8 required general anesthesia, during operation for the primary neoplasm.

A total of 7 complications were experienced (7.6%, 7/92): 4 sepsis and 3 mechanical. No cases of pnx were observed. Sepsis occurred after 29, 45, 64, 401 days of implantation respectively, and culture demonstrated S. aureus in 2 cases, and E. coli and Klebsiella oxytoca in 1 case each. Mechanical complication comprehends 2 cases of catheter dislodgement and 1 case of port rotation. No complications were noticed in case of implant during surgery for primary cancer (8 cases). In 7 cases the procedure has been converted from cephalic vein cutdown to percutaneous cannulation of the subclavian vein due to anatomic reasons (13.2%, 7/53). Five PaC have been explanted for complications.

On the basis of the personal experience we think that PaC are of easy implant, with few complications and of good acceptance from the patients. We prefer venous cutdown on cephalic vein as implant technique because of avoidance of pnx or bleeding complications. Percutaneous puncture of subclavian vein is useful for implantation during major surgery, because less time consuming, and in case of anatomical anomalies fo the cephalic vein. Basilic vein cutdown has been utilized exclusively for esthetic reason in young people, to avoid the scar in the upper thoracic region. Alternative implant techniques has been employed in special conditions, such as catheter position in the inferior v.cava, or early in our experience (internal jugular vein). A total of 7 complication have been reported (7.6%), 4 sepsis and 3 mechanical (2 dislodgement, 1 rotation). Sepsis were not related to implant technique, presenting on day 29, 45, 64 and 401 respectively; all required the explant of the PaC as a treatment. Mechanical complications are related to surgical technique; all required re-exploration with 1 explant and 2 reposition of the PaC. In PaC positioning during surgery for primary cancer (8 cases) no morbidity has been reported. All but the 5 PaC explanted were functioning until patient's need; maximum length reported is 42 months.