Abstract
Background
Peripheral blood vessels, due to availability are used for many years in cancer patients, however in patients with potentially harmful drugs to skin (vesicant drugs) or difficult accessibility to vessels, the use of implantable port (totally implantable venous access port-TIVAP)devices with central vascular access are important.
Materials and Methods
In this retrospective study, 85 pediatric cancer patients younger than 16 years, with TIVAP implantation, were followed
for their complications and outcome. In addition to demographic data, patients’ port complications were assessed and
compared with published articles.
Results
Mean days of implanted port usage were 531 ± 358 days in all patients. This period was 287 ±194 days in complicated
patients. Complications included as infection (tunnel infection and catheter related blood-stream infection), malfunction and thrombosis, skin erosion, tube avulsion, and tube adhesion to the adjacent vessels were seen in 30.6% of patients.
Conclusion
According to the published data and this experience, the most common complications in TIVAP are infection and catheter malfunction. It is important to notice that in order to prolong its efficacious life, effective sterilization methods, prevention of clot formation and trauma, are the most useful measures.
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