Port-A-Cath: a study of complication rates.

Venous access can be a difficult problem for patients receiving intravenous medications, such as chemotherapy, over long periods of time. Totally implanted venous access devices, such as the Port-A-Cath TM (Pharmacia Deltec, St. Paul, MN) have been introduced as a solution to the problem of venous access. These devices are marketed as a safe, reliable method of venous access. Between January 1986 and December 1988, one hundred sixty patients had Port-A-Caths implanted at Sioux Valley Hospital. The medical records of these patients were reviewed to determine the type and rates of complications with the Port-A-Cath. Complications included pneumothoracies, extravasation of injected substances, difficulty aspirating blood, occlusion and sepsis. This article describes the results of our study and a review of the literature.