Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC) Lines in Oncology Patients: Patient Satisfaction, Outcomes and Cost Comparison – Experience of an Indian Tertiary Cancer Care Institute

Long term venous access is needed in patients suffering from cancer for administering drugs, chemotherapy, blood collection, transfusions etc. Central venous catheters introduced in the 1980s have been a boon for these patients minimizing their need for repeated trauma. Of the various types of central venous access devices (CVAD’s) available, in developing countries like India, some of the limiting factors to decide what type of CVAD is used are the cost involved and the necessary training for the maintenance of the device. Our aim was to review our experience of PICC (Peripherally inserted central catheter) lines over 3 years, to analyze conditions for which PICC lines were used, catheter indwelling period, incidence and types of complications, reasons for removal and quality of life of these patients. We also attempted to compare costs of PICC lines with Chemoport management in our institute. Total 100 patients were followed up for 3 consecutive years, of which 75 were solid tumours and 25 were haematological. The median age was 33 years (Range 2 –77 ). The average duration of indwelling catheter is ranged 2 days–12 months. PICC line was found to be more cost-effective than Chemoport insertion in the overall scenario. 21% of patients had complications related to the management of PICC lines. The overall quality of life was maintained well with PICC line. Conclusion: PICC lines in oncology patients are reasonably safe for long lasting CVAD with acceptable incidence of complications. They are also cost effective compared to Chemoports in developing countries.