Background. We aimed to analyze the frequency and underlying causes of central venous catheter (CVC) removal in children treated for cancer and severe non-malignant blood disorders.
Patients and methods. A retrospective study of patients’ records was performed. Children diagnosed and treated at the Center for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology in 2013 and 2014 were included. Patient-related data (age, sex, disease type) and CVC-related data (CVC type, number, catheter days, reasons to remove etc.) were reviewed and analyzed. The time of analysis was October 2015.
Results and conclusions. In total 118 patients were included: the major part of the study participants were boys (61%) aftected by leukemia (56%). CVC was inserted in two thirds of patients (68%), half of them (53.5%) were implanted a Hickman device. 81% of children had at least one CVC, 15% - two CVC. By 2015 75% of CVC were removed (85% Hickman type, 63% Port-a-cath type): 42% due to the end of treatment, 35% due to CVC-related infection, 12% because of inappropriate CVC function. Median catheterization time was 156 days (min 6 days, max 568 days). The incidence of CVC-related blood stream infection was 1.62 episodes/1000 catheter days. Most of CVC associated bacteremia episodes were caused by one (83.3%) Gram-positive (70%) microorganism - Staphylococcus spp. (50%). More than one microorganism in blood culture was identitied in three patients. Small chil t dren suffering from acute myeloid leukemia had the highest risk of CVC-related blood stream infection.
