Complications and management of an implanted intraperitoneal access port system for intraperitoneal chemotherapy for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis.

Objective: The efficacy of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis has been verified by clinical trials. To perform intraperitoneal chemotherapy safely and effectively, the appropriate management of intraperitoneal access ports is essential. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of port complications during cyclically repeated intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Methods: The medical records of 131 gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastases who received intraperitoneal paclitaxel between 2005 and 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The median period of intraperitoneal chemotherapy using a port system was 12.9 months (range: 0.8-61.5 months), and a total of 27 (20.6%) patients experienced port complications. Inflow obstruction (7.6%) and infection (6.9%) were the main complications, followed by reflux (3.1%), subcutaneous masses (1.5%) and fistulae (1.5%). The median interval between port implantation and port complication was 5.4 months (range: 0.3-40.9 months). Complications were controllable and chemotherapy was not terminated by complications. Survival was not affected by the presence or absence of port complications (median survival time: 22.5 vs. 17.2 months, respectively; P=0.65).

Conclusions: Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for gastric cancer using a port is safe and feasible under appropriate management.