[Handling a central venous catheter in a bone marrow transplantation center: retrospective analysis on 203 patients. Experiences at the Florence Transplantation Center].

The insertion of a central venous catheter (CVC) is a compulsory invasive technique for bone marrow transplant patients. CVC are in fact used for the administration of treatments (chemotherapy, Total Parenteral Nutrition) and patients monitoring (blood samplings). The study reports on the results of a retrospective analysis on 213 CVCs implanted on 203 patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit (BMT) in Florence, from 1992 to 1996. Sixty-one per cent of implanted catheters were maintained in situ until the completion of the treatments, while 5% patients needed the CVC replacement. The major cause of CVC loss was spontaneous deiscence (7% of all implanted CVCs). The 80% of implanted CVCs had a satisfactory performance; in 14% a local infusion of urokinase was required to re-establish patency and in 6% of patients a peripheral venous line had to be started. Only 2% catheters had to be removed due to an infection.