BACKGROUND This is the first reported study of histologically confirmed migration from intravenous access devices in children. METHODS The capsules from around intravenous access devices were examined by light microscopy to determine the extent of the foreign body response; energy dispersive x ray analysis was performed to document the elemental content of the foreign material. RESULTS A fi...

Adequate vascular access is of paramount importance in oncology patients. It is important in the initial phase of surgical treatment or chemotherapy, as well as in the chronic management of advanced cancer and in the palliative care setting. We present an overview of the available vascular access devices and of the most relevant issues regarding insertion and management of vascular access. Part...

In the second of two articles, the author identifies common complications associated with intravenous (i.v.) therapy and discusses preventive measures. Part one, published last week, provided an overview of i.v. therapy and the types of vascular access devices available.

More than 260 million short peripheral I.V. catheters were sold in 2002 in the United States, representing the largest group of all vascular access devices.1 One could conclude from this sizable number that healthcare professionals are proficient with their insertion technique, however, that is not always the case. Many factors contribute to make peripheral access for both veins and arteries qu...

Abstract Background Peripheral blood vessels, due to availability are used for many years in cancer patients, however in patients with potentially harmful drugs to skin (vesicant drugs) or difficult accessibility to vessels, the use of implantable port (totally implantable venous access port-TIVAP)devices with central vascular access are important.  ...

BACKGROUND Complications of vascular access are one of the most common adverse events after coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and are reported to occur in 1% to 9% of cases. There are conflicting reports of the association of vascular complications with the use of vascular closure devices (VCDs). The purpose of this study was to assess femoral arterial access-rel...

BACKGROUND Bleeding events after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are associated with patients' age, gender, and the presence of chronic kidney disease, antithrombotic treatment, as well as arterial access site. Patients being treated by PCI using radial access site are associated with an improved prognosis. However, the safety of femoral closure devices has never been compared to radi...

OBJECTIVES Several devices have been proposed as an alternative to manual compression (MC) for femoral access management (FAME) following catheterization. Although these devices allow earlier ambulation, they have not always been shown to reduce vascular complications. As a consequence, their cost efficacy is not obvious. METHODS During MC a special catheter deployed temporarily within the ar...