Percutaneous placement of a venous access port in a pediatric patient population.

Venous access for administration of therapeutic agents and blood sampling has been difficult in the pediatric age group. A subcutaneous injection venous access port, the Infuse-A-Port (Infusaid Corp, Norwood, Mass) has been placed by percutaneous means in 29 patients aged 2 to 24 years. Placement has been under general (16) and local (13) anesthesia. There have been five problems (extravasation 2, suspected sepsis 1, and hematoma 2) during a total of 2,927 days of exposure. The convenience, reliability, safety, and patient acceptance of this venous access port makes this method the preferred choice for prolonged venous access in the pediatric age group.