A reliable and safe method of collecting blood samples from implantable central venous catheters for determination of plasma gentamicin concentrations.

Study Objective: To evaluate the extent of agreement between plasma gentamicin concentrations determined from samples collected by using implantable subcutaneous central venous catheters (ports) with the push-pull method and those collected by finger lancet punctures in children with febrile neutropenia.

Design: Prospective, randomized study.

Setting: University-affiliated, tertiary care hospital.