Clinical examples of late port-associated complications in cancer patients

Currently, in oncological practice, the installation of fully implantable intravenous port systems has become most often used to provide central vascular access. The advantage of port systems over other types of vascular access is associated with minimizing very early and early complications, but late complications are still relevant. The article presents clinical cases of late port-associated complications, patient management tactics in case of their occurrence and possible outcomes. The frequency of late complications of intravenous port systems was assessed. The most common complications are infections, thrombosis and mechanical damage (pinching and fragmentation of the catheter - pinch-off syndrome, damage to the portal chamber, dislocation of the chamber and catheter of the port system, etc.), which can cause interruption of specialized treatment, ineffectiveness of antitumor therapy, affect the outcome of the disease and cause death. Rare complications include such as eruption of the chamber (bedsore of soft tissues in the area of the port chamber) and extravasation of cytostatic drugs. A key aspect of the prevention of late port-associated complications is compliance, both by medical personnel and by the patient himself, with the recommendations for the care of long-term venous access systems set out in current clinical protocols.