Complications associated with the use of vascular access ports in dogs receiving external beam radiation therapy

Objective—To assess the perioperative and postoperative complications associated with use of vascular access ports (VAPs) in the jugular and lateral saphenous veins of dogs requiring frequent anesthetic episodes for radiation therapy. Design—Cohort study. Animals—40 dogs referred to a veterinary teaching hospital. Procedures—VAPs were used in 23 dogs, and intravenous catheters inserted in a peripheral vein were used in 17 dogs. The frequency of perioperative and postoperative complications associated with VAP use and the frequency of infection associated with intravenous catheter use were recorded. Results of bacterial culture of VAP tips and amount of time required for VAP placement and removal and for anesthetic induction were also recorded. Results—VAP-associated perioperative complications included malposition of the catheter tip in 4 of 23 (17.4%) dogs. The VAP-associated postoperative complications included seroma formation in 7 (30.4%) dogs, breakage of port-anchoring sutures in 3 (13.0%) dogs, sus...