Vascular Access for Cancer Chemotherapy

Abstract
IN CERTAIN circumstances, vascular access for chronic intravenous chemotherapy in patients with malignant disease becomes difficult. Suitable superficial veins for the administration of chemotherapy occasionally become unavailable during the course of a prolonged regimen. The following case report illustrates an instance when a bovine heterograft arteriovenous fistula was used for repetitive chemotherapy in a patient with Hodgkin disease. Report of a Case A problem was recently encountered in finding venipuncture sites for the administration of intravenous medication to a 22-year-old girl suffering from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin disease. An attempt was made to administer chemotherapy, but superficial veins were impossible to find. It was decided to create a bovine graft arteriovenous fistula so that combination intravenous medication could be administered and the necessary blood samples for analysis drawn. On May 6,1974, a bovine heterograft arteriovenous fistula was created as a loop in her left arm. A 6.5-mm bovine graft was anastomosed