Radiological Interventions for Correction of Central Venous Port Catheter Migrations

Case report: Extravascular catheter migration in a child: A rare complication of the totally implantable venous access device

BACKGROUND

Totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) are widely used to gain intermittent central venous access, such as in patients who need long-term chemotherapy, total parenteral nutrition, and long-term antibiotic treatment. At present, there are many complications associated with the use of these devices. Complete extravascular migration of TIVADs via the internal jugular vein is a very rare and potentially serious condition, especially in children.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 1-year-old girl needed palliative chemotherapy because of hepatoblastoma complicated by inferior vena cava thrombosis. A TIVAD was implanted through the right internal jugular vein with a routine heparin flushing tube. On the second day after the operation, a pale bloody liquid was drawn out from the device and the chest X-ray was checked to confirm that the position of the catheter was normal. On the third day after the operation, however, the patient's right respiratory sound was weakened on physical examination and auscultation. Fluoroscopy showed that the tip of the catheter was located in the right thoracic cavity, and there was a large amount of effusion in the right thoracic cavity. The pleural effusion was removed, the TIVAD was replaced again, and the child was discharged 2 days later.

CONCLUSIONS

Following TIVAD implantation, if abnormalities are found, in addition to chest X-ray, saline flush and echocardiography should be performed to determine the position of the catheter and rule out extravascular migration of the catheter to avoid irreparable consequences.

A nurse-inserted peripherally inserted central catheter program in general pediatrics: a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) with its tip preferably in the vena cava is essential in caring for patients with chronic conditions in general pediatrics. However, PICC-related complications are concerning and warrant further investigations.

OBJECTIVES

To share the experience of a nurse-inserted peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) program initiated in a general pediatric department.

METHODS

A retrospective descriptive cohort study based on a prospectively collected database was conducted. All PICCs inserted in the departments of gastroenterology and pulmonology in a tertiary pediatric center from Dec. 2015 to Dec. 2019 were included in the study. Complications and risk factors were analyzed by comparing cases with and without complications. We also reported arm movements in correcting mal-positioned newly-inserted PICCs.

RESULTS

There were 169 cases with a median (IQR) age of 42(6, 108) months who received PICC insertion during a 4-year period. Inflammatory bowel disease was the leading diagnosis accounting for 25.4% (43/169) of all cases. The overall complication rate was 16.4 per 1000 catheter days with malposition and occlusion as the two most common complications. Multivariate models performed by logistic regression demonstrated that young age [p = 0.004, OR (95%CI) = 0.987(0.978, 0.996)] and small PICC diameter (1.9Fr, p = 0.003, OR (95%CI) = 3.936(1.578, 9.818)] were risk factors for PICC complications. Correction of malpositioned catheters was attempted and all succeeded in 9 eligible cases by using arm movements.

CONCLUSION

The nurse-inserted PICC program in general pediatrics is feasible with a low rate of complications. PICC tip malposition and occlusion were two major PICC-related complications when low age and small catheter lumina were major risk factors. Furtherly, arm manipulation potentially is an easy and effective approach for correcting malpositioned newly-inserted PICC catheters.

Central Venous Port Catheters: Evaluation of Patients' Satisfaction with Implantation under Local Anesthesia

Purpose

Evaluation of pain perception and patient satisfaction after implantation of a central venous port catheter system under local anesthesia.

Methods

A total of 100 consecutive patients (25 outpatients, 75 inpatients) who underwent successful implantation of a port catheter into the internal jugular vein from May through August 2007 were given an 8-item questionnaire. The extent of information about the implantation, the pain perception during implantation and the friendliness of the physician and nurse were evaluated. Furthermore, the patients were asked to assess their degree of anxiety and the pain they experienced during the intervention and to give an appraisal of whether local anesthesia was adequate. Each question was assessed on a 10–point scale (10 = very true to 1 = not at all true). In addition, the overall duration of the intervention (including patient preparation, implantation, patient aftercare, disinfection of the room) was documented.

Results

Patients felt highly satisfied with the way they were informed (mean score of 9.65) and considered the treating physician (9.89) and nurse (9.9) extremely friendly. Local anesthesia was rated as nearly completely adequate (9.56) and the degree of pain experienced was low (9.05; 10 = no pain). The average anxiety score was 8.56 (10 = not afraid at all). Overall satisfaction with the treatment was very high (9.62; outpatients: 9.72) and patients would recommend port catheter implantation at our department to others (9.77). The mean overall duration of the intervention was 76 min (range 40–120 min).

Conclusion

Positive patient reactions indicate that radiologic port catheter implantation under local anesthesia is a minimally invasive intervention with high patient satisfaction that can be performed on an outpatient basis and is a valid alternative to surgical implantation.

Percutaneous intervention to correct central venous port catheter malposition

The use of central venous port access is increasing due to the requirements of multimodal intravenous therapy.¹ However, catheter malposition in smaller veins can lead to vein thrombosis, phlebitis and pain. Herein, we report our experience with the use of percutaneous interventions to correct migrated port catheter malposition. Minimally invasive percutaneous interventional correction of malposition could be an alternative to extraction and re-implantation of malpositioned port catheters.

Risk factors for venous port migration in a single institute in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

An implantable port device provides an easily accessible central route for long-term chemotherapy. Venous catheter migration is one of the rare complications of venous port implantation. It can lead to side effects such as pain in the neck, shoulder, or ear, venous thrombosis, and even life-threatening neurologic problems. To date, there are few published studies that discuss such complications.

METHODS

This retrospective study of venous port implantation in a single center, a Taiwan hospital, was conducted from January 2011 to March 2013. Venous port migration was recorded along with demographic and characteristics of the patients.

RESULTS

Of 298 patients with an implantable import device, venous port migration had occurred in seven, an incidence rate of 2.3%. All seven were male and had received the Bard port Fr 6.6 which had smaller size than TYCO port Fr 7.5 and is made of silicon. Significantly, migration occurred in male patients (P = 0.0006) and in those with lung cancer (P = 0.004). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that lung cancer was a significant risk factor for port migration (odds ratio: 11.59; P = 0.0059). The migration rate of the Bard port Fr 6.6 was 6.7%. The median time between initial venous port implantation and port migration was 35.4 days (range, 7 to 135 days) and 71.4% (5/7) of patients had port migration within 30 days after initial port implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Male sex and lung cancer are risk factors for venous port migration. The type of venous port is also an important risk factor.

Hydrothorax following delayed extravascular migration of a totally implantable venous access device in a child

Totally implantable venous access devices are widely used in pediatric oncology. The authors encountered a 10-year-old boy with implantation of the device at the age of 7 years owing to acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In the recent half-year, the device was not used except for regular heparin flushing. However, hydrothorax occurred when fluid therapy was required from the device during this admission. Thoracoscopic approach showed extravascular migration and intrapleural malposition of the catheter. Intrapleural migration of the extravascular portion of the catheter owing to irritation and pressure necrosis of the pleura and gradual shortening of intravascular portion of the catheter when the child grew up may be the pathogenesis of delayed extravascular migration of the catheter.

Central venous port systems as an integral part of chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Port systems are easy to implant on an in- or outpatient basis and provide reliable, long-lasting central venous access. They are used mainly for cancer patients.

METHODS

This article is based on a selective literature review, the guidelines of the German Society for Nutrition Medicine and of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, and the recommendations of the German Society for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology.

RESULTS

In modern oncology, central venous port systems are increasingly replacing short-term and permanently tunneled central venous catheters. They are indicated for patients who need long-term intravenous treatment involving, e.g., the repeated administration of chemotherapeutic drugs, parenteral nutrition, transfusions, infusions, injections, and/or blood sample collection. Port systems can markedly alleviate the burden of intravenous therapy and thereby improve these patients' quality of life. The planning, preparation, and performance of port system implantation require meticulous attention to detail. The rate of implantation-associated complications is less than 2% in experienced hands; overall complication rates have been reported from 4.3% to as high as 46%. The proper postoperative use and care of the port system are of decisive importance to the outcome. Reported infection rates during port system use range from 0.8% to 7.5% in current clinical studies.

CONCLUSION

The treatment, follow-up care, and rehabilitation of cancer patients are interdisciplinary tasks. Optimal treatment and complication avoidance require a collaborative effort of all of the involved specialists-not just the physician implanting the port system, but also the oncologists, nutritionists, visiting nurses, and other home health care providers. Continuing medical education, too, plays a role in improving outcomes.

Disconnection of chamber and catheter as a complication of central venous catheter type port-a-cath

The use of a central vein catheter (CVC) type port-a-cath (VPS), apart from the comfort it provides to the patient undergoing chemotherapy, also carries certain complications. In this study, our patient was subjected to chemotherapy after a radical breast cancer operation and was given a CVC type VPS. After further care, a rare complication was verified--disconnection of the chamber and catheter, which one was visually identified in the right heart chamber. As the patient was vitally endangered, she was immediately hospitalized and the catheter was removed by catheterization of the right femoral vein, with scopic imaging. Early diagnosis and localization of the problem prevented more severe complications and mortality.

Transbrachial access for radiologic manipulation of problematic central venous catheters in a pediatric population

A transfemoral venous approach is the current standard for accessing malpositioned and fractured central venous catheters (CVCs). The purpose of this study was (1) to describe a transbrachial approach for correction and (2) to assess the success and failure of this method in a pediatric population. A 12-year retrospective review of all patients referred for correction of malpositioned, retained, and fractured CVCs was conducted. Based on the performing interventionalist's preference, transbrachial or transfemoral venous sheaths where placed under ultrasonographic guidance. Diagnostic angiographic catheters and snares were used to manipulate the catheters. Patients who underwent the transfemoral approach received postprocedural monitoring for 4 hours, whereas patients who underwent the transbrachial approach were allowed unrestricted activity immediately after hemostasis was obtained. Technical success of malpositioned lines was defined (1) by final position in the superior vena cava or at the cavoatrial junction on postprocedural imaging or (2) by successful removal of retained catheter fragments, if present. Transbrachial approach was used for access in 11 patients. Problematic lines included malpositioned (n = 10) and retained (n = 1) lines. The ipsilateral arm was used for transbrachial entry in 7 patients. Initial use of angiographic catheters was attempted in 7 cases, of which 4 were successful. All 3 unsuccessful cases had tips positioned in the contralateral brachiocephalic vein, and these were successfully repositioned using snares. A combination of snares and angiographic catheters was used in 2 cases. Snares were used for all other cases. Technical success by way of the transbrachial approach was observed in all cases. Periprocedural follow-up demonstrated no immediate complications. We conclude that the transbrachial approach is a suitable alternative to the transfemoral approach for catheter tip position correction. Tip malposition in the contralateral brachiocephalic vein suggests higher rate of conversion to use of snare devices.

Central venous access: techniques and indications in oncology

Long lines can be inserted centrally or peripherally through patent veins into the central venous system down to the atrial caval junction. Traditionally surgeons, anesthetists, cardiologists and more recently interventional radiologists have been placing them using vein cutdown or percutaneous needle puncture techniques. Typical candidates for implanted venous catheters are cancer patients undergoing long-term chemotherapy. The most important issues, in addition to the patency of central veins and the history of previous indwelling catheters, pacewires or venous thrombosis, are the patient's performance status, body mass index, medical history and respiratory status, and the relevant technique. The present article will give an overview of the radiological and surgical implantation techniques and will highlight the impact of imaging means on the technical feasibility, assessment and treatment of device-related complications.