An evaluation of prolonged venous access catheters in patients with leukaemia and other malignancies.

Two hundred and fifty venous access catheters were inserted into 218 patients undergoing prolonged chemotherapy for the treatment of leukaemia and other malignancies in the 2-year period from July 1984 to July 1986. In 37% of patients the catheter was removed before the completion of treatment for a variety of infective and other complications (mean survival of catheters V96.7 days). This retrospective study analysed the causes of catheter failure and has allowed us to draw up guidelines for the future management of such catheters.