Central venous access ports in children treated for hematopoietic malignancies.

During past 10 years 234 central venous access ports (CVAP) were implanted in 225 patients at the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology in Zabrze. Mean exposure time was 745 days and total implantation time reached 173,768 days. Complications were encountered in 17 patients (7.6%). This mainly concerned central venous line infection, which led to removal of 10 CVAP (4.4%). The remaining complications necessitating removal of the CVAP consisted mainly of mechanical problems (catheter fracture, occlusion, and erroneous implantation to artery). In the opinion of the authors, subcutaneously implanted CVAP are a safe and effective option for high-dose chemotherapy deliverance in childhood cancer patients.