Standardized procedure prevents perioperative and early complications in totally implantable venous-access ports-a complication analysis of more than 1000 TIVAP implantations.

Purpose: Since their invention 40 years ago, totally implantable venous-access ports (TIVAPs) have become indispensable in cancer treatment. The aim of our study was to analyze complications under standardized operative and perioperative procedures and to identify risk factors for premature port catheter explantation.

Methods: A total of 1008 consecutive TIVAP implantations were studied for success rate, perioperative, early, and late complications.

Overexpression of the insulin-like growth factor I receptor in human pheochromocytomas.

In order to determine the role of the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) in human pheochromocytomas we have compared the expression of the IGF-IR in normal tissues and in pheochromocytomas with regard to the IGF-IR mRNA levels and ligand binding. By semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the mRNA of the IGF-IR could be detected in all samples of normal adrenomedullary cells (n = 13) and pheochromocytomas (n = 16). However, pheochromocytomas exhibited 2.