[Eight Cases of Catheter Fracture in Internal Jugular Vein Ports for Breast Cancer Chemotherapy].

Subcutaneous implantable venous ports were placed in 414 patients between April 2016 and August 2021 for the purpose of breast cancer chemotherapy in our hospital. Although the internal jugular vein approach was selected to prevent fractures caused by pinch-off syndrome, catheter fracture occurred in 8 patients(1.9%). All patients were ADL-independent women aged 44-62 years(median, 50.5 years). The intravenous ports were placed on the side of the dominant and non-dominant hands in 4 and 4 patients, respectively. Six patients received perioperative chemotherapy, while 2 had advanced breast cancer. Catheter fractures occurred 17.7-54.2 months(median, 41.7 months)after placement. The fractures were discovered when the patients presented with one or more of the following conditions: poor backflow of blood (n=4), subcutaneous emphysema observed on CT(n=1), subcutaneous leakage of CT contrast media(n=3), and no sign or symptom(n=1). The fractures occurred in the clavicular subcutaneous part in all patients. Partial and complete fractures of the catheter occurred in 5 and 3 patients, respectively. In 3 patients with complete fracture of the catheter, catheter tips had strayed into the right atrium and were removed using percutaneous endovascular procedures.