[Advantages and disadvantages in the use of central venous catheters in children with malignant diseases].
The authors report the problem of central venous catheter appliance to the children with malignant diseases, employed for the first time in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the aim of pediatric oncologic patients treatment. During 1997 central venous catheter type Hickman was used in nine children between two and half to eleven years old (average six years and one months). The average time of catheter placement was six months, in two cases catheter were eliminated after two and three months respectively since application (spontaneous elimination and repeated septic attacks, caused bu resistant bacterial strains). Gram-positive bacteria have been isolated with eight children (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis), and gram-negative enterobacteriaceae (Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella oxytocia and pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella group C and Enterococcus faecalis) in samples taken from the catheter and hemoculture. The central venous catheter is useful in treating oncological patients, but may cause serious consequences, like local infections or septicaemia.