COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETERS IN A HEMATOLOGY UNIT

The use of central venous catheters in patients suffering from haemato logical disorders has brought enormous benefits, but has been associat ed with an increase in septicaemia. We have reviewed septic and other complications in 43 patients who received one of three different forms of central venous catheters (type A - Hickman(R), type B - Portacath( R), type C - Pasport(R)) during 1991. All complications were reviewed up to 18 months following insertion. The total complication rate was 3 1% (0.97 per 100 catheter days), and the total sepsis complication rat e was 18.8% (0.49 per 100 catheter days). Type A catheters had the gre atest sepsis complication rate of 29.5% (0.84 per 100 catheter days), with type B 15% (0.39 per 100 catheter days) and type C 9.9% (0.32 per 100 catheter days). Prophylactic antibiotics on the day of catheter i nsertion did not reduce the sepsis rate or prolong catheter survival.