Background
Insertion of totally implanted venous access devices; that is, port systems, in the forearm is an option for long-term venous access. To better understand the radiology literature reported for this anatomic location, we performed a search for, and an analysis of, previous publications related to forearm implantation of these devices by interventional radiology department personnel.
Materials and Methods
A review of the literature was performed for articles describing radiology implantation of forearm ports. Articles published between 1990 and 2015 were reviewed.
Results
Eleven articles were found that met the review criteria. None were randomized studies and only 1 was a prospective study. All of the other studies were retrospective reviews of a variety of different port devices. An analysis of these articles was performed.
Conclusion
Forearm port implantation had high technical success rates (range, 98%-100%; mean, 99.7%). A wide variety of complications were encountered, none of which exceeded the Society of Interventional Radiology threshold levels for complications associated with port insertion. A subset of the studies were upper arm venipunctures with the port catheter and housing subsequently implanted in the forearm distal to the antecubital fossa.