A prospective analysis of 949 long-term central venous access catheters for ambulatory chemotherapy in patients with gastrointestinal malignancy.

We present a prospective analysis of the insertion complications and longevity of 949 cuffed, tunnelled central venous catheters used for ambulatory chemotherapy. Mean catheter life span was 121.8 days, 13.4% had complications at insertion, 17.7% had complications not necessitating removal and 18.6% had complications requiring removal. The more experienced operators had fewer complications inserting catheters (P < 0.0001). Late-onset shoulder pain occurred in 4.8% and was associated with an increased incidence of venous thrombosis (P < 0.0001) and infection (P = 0.06). Complications necessitating removal were not predicted by patient' age, site of insertion or malignancy, chemotherapy regimen, insertion platelet and fibrinogen counts, insertion complications, leucocyte count or cuff distance from the exist site. Catheters inserted with their tip in the superior vena cava were more at risk of removal (2.57 times) than those in the right atrium (P = 0.003).