Objective: To describe complications of the use of an intravenous administration system (Port-A-Cath; PAC) in children.
Design: Retrospective record analysis.
Setting: Emma Children's Hospital, the Children Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam.
Method: From January 1989 to January 1992, 66 children aged 1 to 20 years were treated via a PAC system for malignant disease. 70 PACs were implanted with a cumulative period of use of 27,981 days.
Results: In one-third of the patients (36%) one or more complications arose. Most common were infection (16 times) and obstruction (8). Tip dislocation, secondarily infected haematoma, leakage, thrombosis and infiltrate occurred occasionally. Almost 50% of the complications could be treated effectively. In the other cases the PAC system had to be removed.
Conclusion: The advantage of a PAC for oncological patients is the improvement of the quality of life, as it provides a simple and painless access to the venous system. Complications occur regularly, however. Reduction of the number of complications should be the start of further perfection of the PAC system.