Totally implanted chemotherapy port catheters: Literature review and report of four cases

Abstract

Totally implantable catheters tend to be the most popular choice because once installed they allow permanent access to a deep vein, which is gained by puncturing the port rather than a vein. In this article, we explain four cases of chemotherapy port complications: superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome in a metastatic colorectal cancer patient who presented with bilateral mastitis, snare technique for removal of migrated catheter line, carotid artery placement of a port in a 5-year-old child that was referred to our hospital from a pediatric center and adhesive port tip in the heart that finally we left the port in situ. In SVC syndrome, treatment should be guided by the severity of symptoms, etiology of the obstruction, prognosis of the patient and treatment goals. We propose timely removal of port-a-cath following completion of intended chemotherapeutic regimen.