Abstract

FREIRE, E. et al. Totally implantable central venous devices (Port-A-Cath) in oncological patients: Review of complications. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2008, vol.15, n.7, pp.451-462. ISSN 1134-8046.

This review, describe and depict the complications related from the use of permanently implantable Port-A-Cath (PAC) devices in oncological patients. These devices have undergone a substantial technological evolution such that they can currently be used repeatedly under an outpatient regime and for different medical applications (administration of parenteral nutrition, medications, or for the simple extraction of blood samples). Thanks to these technological developments, the quality of life of patients has improved from the point of view of ease of use and the reduction of the number of hospital admissions, which thereby also improves its cost-benefit balance. However, Just like any other medical technique, these devices are not exempt from complications arising from their implantation, use and maintenance over time. This is the principal matter with which our review concerns itself. We have considered it necessary to carry out this review as an infernal control of the complications that arise and of its merit as a tool for overseeing the implantation technique, and in relation to a subjective impression of a greater incidence of thrombotic complications in our series. We demostrate how the standarisation of the implantation technique and the unification of criteria when nursing staff carry out maintenance appears to reduce the number of complications. Having reviewed the bibliography, we conclude that our figures are good or very good for the range of noted and counted complications in a review of 473 clinical records of cáncer patients treated with chemotherapy drugs using this type of device.

Keywords : Central venous accessions; Porta-Cath; technique; venous device complications.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )