Correspondence (letter to the editor): Patient Information Is Lacking

The authors of the article mention high-pressure port systems and normal-pressure port systems, but they do not provide any further detail.

With regard to patient information in clinical practice, the information on which port system was implanted is never available, and this means that manufacturers’ recommendations regarding flushing are also lacking. The authors wrote that flushing the catheter regularly with heparin is the subject of scientific controversy, but they do not make it sufficiently clear that if the manufacturers’ instructions (which are not available) make this obligatory then it is still required.

I did not understand the instructions on how to flush with heparin (10–100 IU heparin/mL, in 0.9% saline solution). Furthermore, the article does not contain any details on whether drawing blood through the port is permissible; if blood can be taken via the port system then I think much clearer instructions are needed on how to perform the required flushing.

In conclusion: the review article provided interesting information on aspects of different port systems but no instructions on how to handle such systems in out-patients.