Port needles: do they need to be removed as frequently in infusional chemotherapy?

Protracted chemotherapy regimens are new treatment modalities used to treat patients with cancer. These treatments are preferred because of the ease of administration and limited side effects in the outpatient setting. Sixty patients were treated with continuous infusion chemotherapy via implanted infusion ports at Marmara University Hospital Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit in Istanbul, Turkey, from January 2000 to December 2001.

Patient satisfaction in the outpatients' chemotherapy unit of Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey: a staff survey.

Background: We conducted a survey to find out how patients feel about the care they receive in the outpatient chemotherapy unit of Marmara University Hospital.

Methods: The American College of Physicians Patient Satisfaction survey translated into Turkish was used. A meeting was held with all involved staff, before conducting the survey, to review the purpose and determine the process.