Infected Intravenous Port Catheters — Salvage or Surgery?

Patients needing repeated or long-term intravenous administration of drugs or nutrition benefit from the implantation of a port-catheter system. Infection is one of the most common complications of port-catheter use. When such infection is suspected, choosing between immediate device removal and conservative treatment (i.e., infusion of antibiotics through the device) is difficult. Researchers recently reviewed cases of port-catheter–related infections at a Brussels hospital from 1996 through 2000, during which time 1016 port catheters were implanted.

The researchers identified 92 episodes of port-catheter infection (78 proven, 14 probable) in 67 patients. Of these episodes, 21% occurred early (within 30 days) after insertion, and 29% (63% o…