Vascular Accesses Used in the Administration of Antineoplasic Therapy in an Oncological Day Hospital

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Antineoplasic chemotherapy in intravenous infusion is one of the most common therapeutic modalities in cancer patients. The vast majority of antineoplasic drugs have an Osmolarity >900 mOsm/l, so its administration must be done through central venous routes. However, the channelling of central routes is limited to patients with difficulty in peripheral venous approach or long-term treatments. Objective(s) Describe the vascular accesses used at the University Hospital of La Ribera for the administration of antineoplastic drugs, assess the adequacy of the same and determine if the type of vascular access used varied during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: A quantitative, observational and analytical cross-sectional study of the vascular accesses used in the administration of antineoplasic therapy in cancer day hospital was carried out. Data collection was carried out through direct observation and consultation of the medical history. The pre-pandemic period was executed from 20 to 21/1/2020(n=125), the pandemic sample from 8 to 12/2/21(n=121). Result(s) Although 70% of the drugs administered had the capacity for tissue aggression, the peripheral venous route was established in 69.9% of cases, the forearm being the most frequent anatomical location (n=102) and the peripheral venous catheter the most commonly used device (n=172). The expected duration of treatment was medium-term in 74.8% of patients. The use of central venous routes during the pandemic increased by 30.7%,(p=0.017), being the subcutaneous venous reservoir the one with the highest representation(RVSC 75.5 %, IPCC 24.5 %). Conclusion(s) Short peripheral venous catheter was the most used device in the administration of chemotherapy in oncology HDD of the UHLR, even administering drugs with high tissue aggression and establishing a medium duration of treatment, being this an area of improvement in the care of cancer patients. During the pandemic, the use of central routes increased in the administration of antineoplasic treatment on an outpatient basis.