Dual ultrasound-guided totally implantable venous access ports via the right internal jugular vein in pediatric patients with cancer: a preliminary experience in a single institution

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of dual ultrasound-guided (DUG) totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) implantation (namely, using ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncture with transesophageal echocardiography-guided catheterization) via the right internal jugular vein (IJV) in pediatric patients with cancer. METHODS: Fifty-five children with cancer requiring chemotherapy underwent DUG-TIVAP implantation via the right IJV. Clinical data were recorded, including the procedure success rate, first attempt success rate, and perioperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: All 55 cases were successfully operated on. The first puncture success rate was 100%. The operation time was 22–41 min, with a mean time of 30.8±5.5 min. The mean TIVAP implantation time was 253±145 days (range 42–520 days). There were no perioperative complications. The postoperative complication rate was 5.4% (3/55), including skin infections around the port in one case, catheter-related infection in one case, and fibrin sheath formation in one case. The ports were all preserved after anti-infection or thrombolytic therapy. No unplanned port withdrawal was recorded in this study. CONCLUSIONS: DUG-TIVAP implantation is a technique with a high success rate and a low complication rate; therefore, it provides an alternative for children with cancer. Further randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of DUG-TIVAP via the right IJV in children.