Importance of nursing in the prevention of complications of totally implantable venous access devices]

The Authors report a case of a patient submitted to chemotherapy that has a complication of its totally implantable venous access device (TIVAD) due to incorrect nursing. The symptoms related to the extravasation of drugs were due to the lateral lesions of the catheter with Huber needle. After X-ray examination the therapy was ablation of the non-functioning device and implant of a new TIVAD. The Authors conclude about careful nursing of the TIVAD in order to avoid further psychological problems in cancer patients.