Venous Access Port Implantation is an Ideal Teaching Operation - An Analysis of 1423 Cases

Abstract

The aim of this study was the analysis of total, early and late complications following venous access port implantation between 1998 and 2008 at the Department of Surgery of the University of Rostock, Germany. A comparison between different implantation techniques addressing success rate, complication rate and duration of operation was performed. These results were further analysed in regard to the level of training of the participating surgeons. A retrospective analysis of 1423 venous access port implantations between 1998 and 2008 was performed. The rate of total complications was 13.8%. Among 4.7% early complications pneumothorax was the most common. The rate of late complications was 9.1%. Most common were infection (4.9%) followed by dysfunction of the catheter (3.5%). 1322 venous access port implantations were performed using puncture of the subclavian vein and Seldinger's technique. 101 operations were performed by direct access through dissection of the cephalic vein and open introduction of the catheter. Operation time in the open group was significantly longer than in the puncture group (46.5 min vs. 38.7 min, p = 0.005). There were significantly more late complications (9.6% vs. 2%, p = 0.01) and total complications (14.5% vs. 4%, p = 0.005) in the puncture group vs. the open access group. Primary success rates of open access vs. puncture were 100% and 96.8%, respectively. The rate of complications was independent of the experience status of the surgeon. However, the rate of total and late complications significantly decreases with number of performed operations. Venous port implantation is a relatively simple procedure despite its possible complications. An open access technique is safer than puncture. The rate of complications significantly decreases with increasing number of performed operations. Therefore venous port implantation and especially the open access method is an ideal teaching operation in a structured surgical training programme.