TOTALLY IMPLANTED CATHETERS AND VENOUS TH ROMBOSIS - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF 72 PATIENTS BY DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF THE NECK VEINS - JUGULAR-VEIN, SUBCLAVIAN VEIN THE BRACHIOCEPHALIC VENOUS TRUNK

Seventy-two consecutive patients with totally implanted catheters for administration of chemotherapy for solid tumours or lymphomas were stu died prospectively to assess the prevalence of venous thrombosis. Duri ng the follow-up period of 343 (6-1177) days, 11 cases of venous throm bosis (15.2%), of which 45% were partial and only 36% symptomatiques w ere observed. Venous thrombosis was an early complication, 6/11 cases being observed within 1 month of implantation. No clinical or biologic al predisposing factor, apart from the presence of malignant disease, could be identified. Doppler ultrasonography is a good method of follo wing-up these patients. This method should become an essential diagnos tic tool in this field.