Purpose: To determine the outcome of implanted chest ports placed by interventional radiologists.
Materials and methods: Between June 1993 and July 1996, a single institution placed 350 implanted chest ports in 346 patients by means of the subclavian vein approach. The medical records of these patients were reviewed to determine the outcome of the ports. Ports were implanted for chemotherapy (n = 341), blood transfusion (n = 7), or antibiotics (n = 2).
Results: Immediate complications were seven (2%) pneumothoraces and one (0.3%) hematoma. Four (1.1%) of the pneumothoraces necessitated hospital admission and treatment with a chest tube. The remaining three were managed on an outpatient basis. One was successfully treated in the interventional suite by catheter suction. Two pneumothoraces were observed and resolved spontaneously. Mean time of patient follow-up was 260 days (range, 22-929 days). Total time of follow-up was 91,000 catheter days. Delayed complications were 10 cases of thrombosis (2.9% or 0.11 per 1,000 catheter days) of the subclavian vein, four infections (1.1% or 0.04 per 1,000 catheter days), four catheter coiling or tip malpositions (1.1% or 0.04 per 1,000 catheter days), three catheter occlusions (0.9% or 0.03 per 1,000 catheter days), and one catheter leak (0.3% or 0.01 per 1,000 catheter days). Six (1.7%) ports had to be removed as a result of a delayed complication.
Conclusion: Chest port implantation by interventional radiologists within the radiology department is a successful and safe procedure with complication rates equivalent to, or lower than, those reported in surgical placement series.