Occlusion and infection in broviac catheters during intensive cancer therapy

Abstract

Before administration of intensive cytotoxic therapy, 90 central venous catheters were inserted into 80 patients with malignancies. Twenty‐seven episodes of bacteremia and fungemia occurred during 96 treatment courses. The majority of these infections were due to gram‐positive bacteria (45%) or fungi (22%), although gram‐negative organisms accounted for 33%. Catheter occlusion occurred in patients receiving intravenous phenytoin, but blood products could be infused without difficulty. An increase in gram‐positive bacteremias in patients with these catheters and drug‐induced catheter occlusion must now be appreciated. Cancer 52:2342‐2348, 1983. Copyright © 1983 American Cancer Society