INTRODUCTION In emergency otolaryngology, Foley catheters are often used to stop posterior epistaxis. Foley catheter balloons are prone to blockage, and this has been described in the literature since they were first introduced. There are numerous causes of a none-deflating Foley catheter balloon. These include blockage of the internal lumen with salt crystals, failure in the valve, or most com...

Tunneled catheters serve as interim access during maturation of a graft or fistula, or as a permanent vascular access in those patients who have exhausted their traditional access sites. However, bacteremia rates are high in patients with chronic catheters and indiscriminate removal of catheters during bacteremia increases morbidity and costs. A method to identify whether a catheter was coloniz...

OBJECTIVES To report procedural characteristics and outcomes from a central venous catheter placement service operated by advanced practice nurses. DESIGN Single-center observational study. SETTING A tertiary care university hospital in Sydney, Australia. PATIENTS Adult patients from the general wards and from critical care areas receiving a central venous catheter, peripherally inserted ...

BACKGROUND Subcutaneous ports are commonly used for vascular access in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of catheter-related infection and to assess the efficacy of catheter salvage in subcutaneous ports. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 300 subcutaneous single-lumen chest ports inserted by interventional radiologists in 294 patients betw...

During insertion of the double lumen tube in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, cervical neutral position should be maintained to avoid vertebral and spinal injuries. Although flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopic intubation is the gold standard, available FOB size is not compatible with that of the endobronchial lumen of the double lumen tube. This problem should be solved according to institut...

PURPOSE Although prolonged venous access devices (PVADs) are used in case prolonged intravenous therapy is required, implantation and use of these devices is associated with complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate perioperative and long-term complications associated with PVADs and the management of these complications. METHODS A retrospective review was undertaken of 225 PVAD...