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Port‐A‐Cath usage in children with haemophilia: experience of 53 cases
Author(s) -
Ljung R,
Berg M,
Petrini P,
Tengborn L,
Scheibel E,
Kekomäki R,
Effenberger W
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1998.tb01412.x
Subject(s) - medicine , haemophilia , venous access , complication , port (circuit theory) , surgery , haemophilia a , pediatrics , catheter , electrical engineering , engineering
Experience of the Port‐A‐Cath implantable venous access system in 53 children with severe or moderate haemophilia A or B from seven centres in five countries is reviewed. The cumulative duration of follow‐up was 1578 months (median 30 months, range 1‐114). Of the devices implanted, 70% (37/53) were used without complications (median follow‐up 32 months; range 1‐114) and the remaining 30% (16/53) were associated with various types of complication: infection, bacteraemia or septicaemia in 56% (9/16) of cases, i.e. a rate of 0.07 per follow‐up year or 0.19 per 1000 patient days, or various technical complications occurring after a median of 32 months (range 4–75) of uncomplicated use in the remaining 44% (7/16). Of the patients with inhibitors, 64% (7/11) manifested complications. Both doctors and parents considered that the Port‐A‐Cath device can be used with an acceptable frequency and severity of complications, and that it enables regular prophylactic or on‐demand home treatment of children with haemophilia to be begun at an early age.