Autologous Stem Cell Collection for the Treatment of Malignant Diseases in Pediatric Patients: The Use of the Power Hickman

Background:  Dual-use catheters for chemotherapy and hematopoetic progenitor cell collection are increasingly used in the pediatric autologous transplant population. Published data for benefits and complications with these lines is limited. We evaluated the use of various collection line strategies before and after an institutional change to the Power Hickman dual-use line to determine advantages and disadvantages.

Methods:  We reviewed 65 collection episodes over a 5 year period comparing 3 groups:  Power Hickman, Muhurkar dialysis catheter, and peripheral IV. We assessed variables in the categories of efficiency, complications, and cost.

Results:  The Power Hickman was found to be more efficient than the Muhurkar for several variables including need for second anesthesia for line placement and number of collection days. No differences were found among the groups for complications. A cost advantage was suggested for the Power Hickman and PIV over the Muhurkar.

Discussion:  A dialysis catheter may still be required for some patients due to their size and other variables. However, for other groups, our data indicate that dual-use catheters are a safe and efficient option.