[Comparison of the performance of a totally implantable pump and conventional access systems in regional arterial chemotherapy of liver tumors]

Abstract

Forty-nine patients with liver tumors have been submitted to regional arterial chemotherapy by means of either totally implantable Infusaid 400 pumps (29 casse) or implantable ports (20 cases). The latter were subsequently perfused with external pumps. There was one single major operative complication and no operative deaths. Most patients underwent continuous FUDR infusion. Access related complications in the Pump and Port groups respectively included 1 and 0 malfunctions, 7 and 2 seromas, 2 and 0 pocket necroses, 8 and 10 thromboses, 2 and 4 catheter dislocations, 0 and 2 portal breakages. Treatment was stopped for access related complications in 5 and 5 patients respectively. In most of those cases, however, more than 6 cycles of chemotherapy have been performed. The Infusaid 400 pumps showed a 12-month duration of 58.4% with a 13 month median versus 17% and 9 month median of the Ports. The difference was not significant. The new implantable systems give better results in comparison with traditional regional methods; the performance of the Port systems appear very similar to the totally implantable pumps, with an obvious advantage, however, for the pumps as far as quality of life is concerned.