Retained Catheter: A Rare Complication Associated with Totally Implantable Venous Ports

Abstract

Totally implantable venous ports are the main access for chemotherapy. The complications associated with these devices occur most frequently over the course of their use. We report two cases of a complication that had only been described in patients with partially implantable catheters for hemodialysis: retention of a catheter fragment within a vessel during port removal. Both patients underwent adjuvant chemotherapy through the port and even after indication of catheter removal because at the end of treatment, they remained with the devices for long periods of time (7 and 8 yrs, respectively). Due to adherence of the catheters along their intravascular portions, complete removal was impossible. The catheters were sectioned and ligated close to the site where it entered the access vein. After 1 yr of follow-up, both patients were asymptomatic and imaging examinations showed the retained catheters. We believe that an implantable port should be removed after appropriate oncological follow-up.