The study aims to investigate the effect of the ratio of long axis to short axis (RLS) of upright polypropylene infusion bag on discharging process and to search the best RLS. Aiming at five different RLS (1.5:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 and 5:1, respectively) with the volume of 100 mL, 250 mL and 500 mL, respectively, based on finite element method, analyzing the variation of stress distribution, emptying rate, drugging space and steadiness coefficient, etc. For the bags of the same volume, emptying rate increased with increasing of RLS, but the steadiness coefficient decreased with increasing of RLS. The specific increasing amplitude of emptying rate and decreasing range of steadiness coefficient were as follows: 20% and 49% for 100mL infusion bag, 9% and 51% for 250 mL infusion bag, and 11% and 46% for 500 mL infusion bag, respectibvely, when RLS increased from 1.5:1 to 5:1. Comparatively speaking, the increasing amplitude of the emptying rate is remarkably less than the decreasing range of the steadiness coefficient. By comprehensive consideration of both emptying rate and steadiness coefficient, lower RLS is recommended for upright polypropylene infusion bag.
Objective This study aimed to quantitatively investigate the preferences and willingness of patients with breast cancer to pay for central venous access and to provide implications for the clinical selection of appropriate chemotherapy pathways. Methods A discrete-choice experiment survey was conducted to elicit the preferences for central venous access in three hospitals in east, middle and west China. The conditional logit model was used to analyse the relative importance of six central venous access-related attributes: risk of thrombosis, risk of infections, restriction of daily activities, maintenance interval, catheter incision size and out-of-pocket costs. Results The valid data for a total of 103 patients was collected from three hospitals. All six attributes significantly influenced patients’ preferences for central venous access. The risk of thrombosis (RIS=26.0%) and risk of infections (RIS=24.3%) were the top two attributes influencing patients’ preferences for central venous access. To reduce the risk of thrombosis and infection from 12% and 8% to 1%, patients were willing to pay 14 861.2 yuan and 13 907.2 yuan, respectively. The catheter incision size was of least concern (RIS=4.6%); the patients were only willing to pay 2 653.6 yuan for smaller catheter incisions. Conclusion Thrombosis and infection are the primary factors that affect the choice of central venous access for patients with breast cancer. Patients have a sensitive trade-off between safety and out-of-pocket costs; with the change in thrombosis and infection risk, patients’ willingness to pay changes accordingly.
Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) with absence of right superior vena cava (SVC), also known as isolated PLSVC, is a relatively rare type of congenital body venous malformation. Isolated PLSVC is asymptomatic, however, it will bring clinical difficulties to the implantation of the totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP). We reported a 41 years, male patient with esophageal cancer, who needed neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. Through doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) and vascular 3D-reconstruction, we found him to be a patient with PLSVC with absence of right SVC before the insertion of TIVAP. Hence, we chose the left approach in which the needle was inserted into the sternocleidomastoid clavicular head lateral notch in left supraclavicular fossa as the puncture point. The depth of the catheter tip from the root of the neck to the puncture point was 21.5 cm and the catheter tip was located at the junction of the PLSVC and the right atrium, at the dilated coronary sinus. The procedure was successful and the patient received expected neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy after operation, and anticoagulant therapy was performed to prevent thrombosis in coronary sinus and superior vena cava. There was no major catheter-related complication during the period of TIVAP.
Objective To observe the effectiveness of IMPACT management mode on self-care and management abilities of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with implantable venous access port (VAP). Methods Breast cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy with VAP at Shangjin Hospital, West China Hospital, Sichuan University between March 2020 and June 2021 were prospectively included. IMPACT mode was used for self-management training guidance. The patient self-care abilities before training and at 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months of training were compared, and the patient self-management abilities at 1 month and 3 months of training were compared. Results A total of 74 patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy with VAP were included. The total score of self-care ability of patients before training and at 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months of training was 112.11±14.63, 123.20±15.73, 127.95±13.89, and 131.92±13.60, respectively, and all the between-time-point differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In terms of self-concept score, all the between-time-point differences were statistically significant (P<0.05) with increasing score over time, except the difference between the score at 3 months of training and that at 2 months of training (P>0.05). In terms of self-responsibility and self-care skill scores, all the between-time-point differences were statistically significant (P<0.05) with increasing scores over time, except the difference between the score at 2 months of training and that at 1 month of training (P>0.05). In terms of health knowledge level, the scores at 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months of training were higher than that before training (P<0.05), and the score at 3 months of training was higher than that at 1 month of training (P<0.05). The self-management ability scores in all dimensions at 3 months of training were higher than those at 1 month of training, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion The IMPACT management mode can effectively improve the self-care and management abilities of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with VAP, thereby ensuring the normal use of VAP, reducing the occurrence of complications, and reducing the burden on families and society.