Outcomes of a Percutaneous Technique for Shortening of Totally Implanted Indwelling Central Venous Chest Port Catheters

Central venous port catheters that are too long are typically removed or revised. The subcutaneous position of port reservoirs precludes standard over-the-wire exchange techniques, and a method of percutaneous revision using an intravascular loop snare technique has been previously described. A retrospective review was conducted of 38 procedures that were performed at a single academic institution between 2005 and 2015. Technical success was 100%, without immediate or delayed complications with follow-up until port removal or death in 94% of patients. Percutaneous revision is an effective method for shortening too-long port catheters, allowing uninterrupted use of the port.