1 research outputs found
Brief Report - An Analysis of Long-term Venous Access Catheters in Cancer Patients: Experience from a Tertiary Care Centre in India
Background: Venous access is crucial for administration of drugs blood
products, antibiotics and periodic sampling in patients with cancer.
Aims: To review our experience of longterm venous access devices used
over a ten year period and to analyse the outcome in cancer patients in
Indian setting. Setting and Design: A retrospective analysis of data in
a tertiary care Regional cancer center. Patients and Methods: A total
of 110 patients with various malignancies requiring longterm venous
access were included in the study. A uniform open cut down procedure
under local anaesthesia was used and silastic hickman catheters were
inserted in the cephalic or external jugular or internal jugular veins.
A record of all complications and catheter loss and final out come were
analysed. Results: A total of 111 catheters were used in 110 patients.
Sixty nine catheters were placed in cephalic, 40 in external jugular,
and 2 in internal jugular vein. Duration of catheter indwelling period
ranged from 7 to 365 days with a median of 120 days. In 90% of the
cases the catheter tip was located either in superior vena cava or in
right atrium. Total catheter related complications were observed in 37
(34.54%) patients and catheter loss rate due to complications was 15.4%
(17/111). Conclusions: Long term venous access using Hickman catheter
insertion by open cut down method is a simple, safe and reliable method
for administration of chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotics and blood
products. The incidence of various complications and catheter loss was
acceptable and overall patient satisfaction was good