• P M Colombani, D L Dudgeon, J R Buck, D M Miller, M J Ghory, C Buckloo, and J A Haller.
• Jpen Parenter Enter. 1985 Jan 1;9(1):38-41.

AbstractDuring a 21-month period, 50 consecutive pediatric oncology patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation and/or cytoreductive chemotherapy had 61 silastic central venous catheters placed to facilitate their therapy. All catheters were used for medications, routine blood sampling, and transfusions, with 45% also used for hyperalimentation and 57% used for bone marrow transplantation. Catheters were utilized during both inpatient and outpatient therapy periods. Total catheter days numbered 8455, an average of 139 days per catheter. Forty-seven catheters (77%) were removed electively or were in place at time of patient death. Seven were removed for mechanical complications (1/1409 catheter days). Four additional episodes of presumed catheter sepsis were managed with antibiotics and did not require catheter removal (40% of septic episodes). One catheter is still in place after 585 days. Complication rates were not influenced by this multiple use protocol. With standardized catheter care and surveillance, multipurpose, long-term central venous access can be safely utilized in the immunosuppressed pediatric patient.

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