The removal and morphology of intact biofilms from implanted venous access devices

1995 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 1020-1021
Author(s):  
M.A. Gregory ◽  
G.P. Hadley
Keyword(s):  
Patient Selection ◽  
Surgical Oncology ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Common Procedure ◽  
Indwelling Catheters ◽  
Careful Patient ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Vascular Catheters ◽  
Venous Access Devices

The insertion of implanted venous access systems for children undergoing prolonged courses of chemotherapy has become a common procedure in pediatric surgical oncology. While not permanently implanted, the devices are expected to remain functional until cure of the primary disease is assured. Despite careful patient selection and standardised insertion and access techniques, some devices fail. The most commonly encountered problems are colonisation of the device with bacteria and catheter occlusion. Both of these difficulties relate to the development of a biofilm within the port and catheter. The morphology and evolution of biofilms in indwelling vascular catheters is the subject of ongoing investigation. To date, however, such investigations have been confined to the examination of fragments of biofilm scraped or sonicated from sections of catheter. This report describes a novel method for the extraction of intact biofilms from indwelling catheters.15 children with Wilm’s tumour and who had received venous implants were studied. Catheters were removed because of infection (n=6) or electively at the end of chemotherapy.

Pipe-Cleaning Plugged Portacaths: How to Unclog an Implanted Port After Development of a Fibrin Sheath

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Hagaman ◽  
Jerry Matteo ◽  
Joanna Kee-Sampson ◽  
Saeed Bashir ◽  
Rebecca T. Le ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Bodies ◽  
Vascular System ◽  
Central Venous Access ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Invasive Technique ◽  
Indwelling Catheters ◽  
Fibrin Sheath ◽  
Central Catheters ◽  
Venous Access Devices

Industry has long fought the battle to design a vascular catheter that is less thrombogenic. Indwelling catheters provide long-term central venous access, but they develop fibrin sheaths as the vascular system recognizes them as foreign bodies. Peripheral catheters and central catheters can be changed over a guidewire when they form a fibrin sheath or otherwise malfunction. However, totally implantable venous access devices such as a port cannot be easily exchanged over a wire. Therefore, when a port malfunctions, thrombolytics are usually the only option attempted before the port is explanted and a new site is prepared for access. We present a minimally invasive technique demonstrating port salvage that does not require explant.

Upper Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis in Cancer Patients with Venous Access Devices - Prophylaxis with a Low Molecular Weight Heparin (Fragmin)

1996 ◽  
Vol 75 (02) ◽  
pp. 251-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Monreal ◽  
Antoni Alastrue ◽  
Miquel Rull ◽  
Xavier Mira ◽  
Jordi Muxart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Central Venous Access ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Fisher Exact Test ◽  
Central Venous ◽  
True Incidence ◽  
Venous Access Devices

SummaryCentral venous access devices are often essential for the administration of chemotherapy to patients with malignancy, but its use has been associated with a number of complications, mainly thrombosis. The true incidence of upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in this setting is difficult to estimate since there are very few studies in which DVT diagnosis was based on objective tests, but its sequelae include septic thrombophlebitis, loss of central venous access and pulmonary embolism.We performed an open, prospective study in which all cancer patients who underwent placement of a long-term Port-a-Cath (Pharmacia Deltec Inc) subclavian venous catheter were randomized to receive or not 2500 IU sc of Fragmin once daily for 90 days. Venography was routinely performed 90 days after catheter insertion, or sooner if DVT symptoms had appeared. Our aims were: 1) to investigate the effectiveness of low doses of Fragmin in preventing catheter-related DVT; and 2) to try to confirm if patients with high platelet counts are at a higher risk to develop subclavian DVT, as previously suggested.On the recommendation of the Ethics Committee, patient recruitment was terminated earlier than planned: DVT developed in 1/16 patients (6%) taking Fragmin and 8/13 patients (62%) without prophylaxis (Relative Risk 6.75; 95% Cl: 1.05-43.58; p = 0.002, Fisher exact test). No bleeding complications had developed. As for prediction of DVT, there was a tendency towards a higher platelet count in those patients who subsequently developed DVT, but differences failed to reach any statistical significance (286 ±145 vs 207 ±81 X 109/1; p = 0.067). According to our experience, Fragmin at the dosage used proved to be both effective and safe in these patients.

Prevention of Infection in Adults Receiving Intravenous Antibiotic Treatment via Indwelling Central Venous Access Devices

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-49
Author(s):  
Basant K. Puri ◽  
Anne Derham ◽  
Jean A. Monro
Keyword(s):  
Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Central Venous Access ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Central Venous ◽  
Intravenous Antibiotic ◽  
Venous Access Devices

Background: The use of indwelling Central Venous Access Devices (CVADs) is associated with the development of bloodstream infections. When CVADs are used to administer systemic antibiotics, particularly second- or higher-generation cephalosporins, there is a particular risk of developing Clostridium difficile infection. The overall bloodstream infection rate is estimated to be around 1.74 per 1000 Central Venous Catheter (CVC)-days. Objective: We hypothesised that daily oral administration of the anion-binding resin colestyramine (cholestyramine) would help prevent infections in those receiving intravenous antibiotic treatment via CVADs. Method: A small case series is described of adult patients who received regular intravenous antibiotic treatment (ceftriaxone, daptomycin or vancomycin) for up to 40 weeks via indwelling CVADs; this represented a total of 357 CVC-days. In addition to following well-established strategies to prevent C. difficile infection, during the course of the intravenous antibiotic treatment the patients also received daily oral supplementation with 4 g colestyramine. Results: There were no untoward infectious events. In particular, none of the patients developed any symptoms or signs of C. difficile infection, whereas approximately one case of a bloodstream infection would have been expected. Conclusion: It is suggested that oral colestyramine supplementation may help prevent such infection through its ability to bind C. difficile toxin A (TcdA) and C. difficile toxin B (TcdB); these toxins are able to gain entry into host cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis, while anti-toxin antibody responses to TcdA and TcdB have been shown to induce protection against C. difficile infection sequelae.

A Psychometric Validation of the Decisional Conflict Scale in Italian Cancer Patients Scheduled for Insertion of Central Venous Access Devices

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 5583-5592
Author(s):  
MARIA ROSARIA ESPOSITO ◽  
ASSUNTA GUILLARI ◽  
FRANCESCO GIANCAMILLI ◽  
TERESA REA ◽  
MICHELA PIREDDA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Central Venous Access ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Decisional Conflict ◽  
Psychometric Validation ◽  
Central Venous ◽  
Decisional Conflict Scale ◽  
Venous Access Devices ◽  
Conflict Scale

An ultrasound-based technique in the management of totally implantable venous access devices with persistent withdrawal occlusion

2021 ◽  
pp. 112972982110232
Author(s):  
Sonia D’Arrigo ◽  
Maria Giuseppina Annetta ◽  
Mauro Pittiruti
Keyword(s):  
Venous Thrombosis ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Central Venous ◽  
Safe Method ◽  
Central Venous Port ◽  
Catheter Malfunction ◽  
Bubble Test ◽  
Current Guidelines ◽  
Venous Access Devices

Persistent withdrawal occlusion is a specific catheter malfunction characterized by inability to withdraw blood through the device while infusion is maintained. The main causes are fibroblastic sleeve and tip malposition (associated or not to venous thrombosis around the tip). All current guidelines recommend infusing vesicant/antiblastic drugs through a central venous port only after assessment of blood return. In PWO, blood return is impossible. We have recently started to assess the intravascular position of the tip and the delivery of the infusion in the proximity of the cavo-atrial junction utilizing transthoracic/subxiphoid ultrasound with the ‘bubble test’. We found that this is an easy, real-time, accurate and safe method for verifying the possibility of using a port for chemotherapy even in the absence of blood return, as it occurs with persistent withdrawal occlusion.

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