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Abstract
Objective To evaluate and compare the complications associated with tunnelled external and implanted port (PORT) central venous catheters (CVCs) in children with cancer.
Design A systematic review in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) guidelines was performed (pre-registered on PROSPERO: CRD42022300869). MEDLINE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library databases were searched.
Patients Patients ≤18 years of age with haematological or solid malignancies.
Interventions Studies comparing tunnelled external and PORT CVCs.
Main outcomes measures Infection, mechanical failure, thrombosis, bleeding, acceptability, quality of life (QoL), cost, premature removal, and days from insertion to removal for any reason.
Results Twenty-three observational studies met the inclusion criteria, representing 6644 devices and 6032 patients. Tunnelled external CVCs were associated with an increased risk for systemic infection (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.77, p<0.001, 16 studies, 3425 devices). There was no significant difference in the risk of localised infection (OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.66 to 2.01, p=0.62, 5 studies, 979 devices). Tunnelled external CVCs were also associated with a significantly increased risk of mechanical complications (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.21 to 5.05, p=0.01, 11 studies, 2187 devices) and premature device removal (OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.28 to 8.22, p=0.01, 6 studies, 1514 devices).
Conclusion This study shows that PORTs associate with a reduced risk of infectious and mechanical complications, and a lower overall risk of removal, compared with tunnelled external CVCs in children with cancer. Further work is required to confirm these findings in a prospective randomised trial and to compare cost implications and acceptability to patients and caregivers.
- Paediatrics
- Child Health
Data availability statement
Data sharing not applicable as no datasets generated and/or analysed for this study. Not applicable.
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Data availability statement
Data sharing not applicable as no datasets generated and/or analysed for this study. Not applicable.
Footnotes
Twitter @Jonny_Neville, @Moeayehinn, @nigel_j_hall
Contributors JJN and NJH conceptualised the project. JJN and HMA collected and analysed the data. JJN and HMA drafted the manuscript. All authors revised the manuscript and approved the final version. NJH acts as guarantor for the paper.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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