A Comparative Study of Complications Related to Chemoport and Peripheral Line Among Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy in Teaching Hospitals.

Background: Most patients with cancer under chemotherapy need reliable access into the veins for drugs, and this can be established via peripheral lines or chemoports. However, the complications that arise in one method differ from another method. This study seeks to compare complications between chemoport and peripheral lines in the hospital teaching setup of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Methods: The survey conducted was a comparative observational one, involving 80 cancer patients, out of whom 40 used peripheral lines and 40 chemoports. An observational checklist was used to gather data regarding the complications and their severity during the chemotherapy sessions. The complications under observation were infections, extravasations, and phlebitis, concerning the impact of demographic and clinical variables on the complication rates. Results: More complications were reported among patients with peripheral lines, including pain, extravasations, and phlebitis; meanwhile, fewer major complications occurred in chemoports. T-values, in comparisons of complications among chemoport and peripheral lines, proved to be statistically significant in terms of being more common and severe. The other demographic factors of age and gender were found not to have a statistically significant correlation with the kind of complications. Conclusion: They end up causing more complications compared to chemoports in the long-term, yet at first view seem less invasive than peripheral lines. Chemoports result in fewer severe complications and are hence preferable for the long-term administration of chemotherapy in cancer patients.