Means of vascular access are fundamental in the management of cancer. However, since current intravenous devices for long-term treatment are expensive and necessitate a high degree of education among medical personnel, in developing countries they are impractical for use in most of the population. We describe the use of a nontunneled, low-cost, long-lasting Silastic catheter (LLSC), cared for by an intravenous therapy team (IVTT), in 462 patients with cancer. The rate of infectious complications was 0.66 infections per 1,000 catheter-days, which is as low as that reported in association with other catheters in developed countries. Neutropenia and skin and/or soft-tissue infections were significant risk factors associated with LLSC-related infections. We believe that use of this catheter may be an alternative for patients with cancer who need chemotherapy, as long as an IVTT is established for its care. Our experience could be useful for practitioners in countries with similar socioeconomic characteristics.

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Objective. To describe the results of ten years of nosocomial infection (NI) surveillance in an oncology center. Material and methods. This is a descriptive study of the Infection Control and Surveillance Program Committee at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, conducted in 1997. From June 1986 to December 1996, we surveyed 62 733 hospital discharge records. Criteria used to classify nosocomial infections were those outlined in 1972 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (GA). Survey data were collected through review of microbiology chart records and of hospital chart records of febrile patients, patients receiving antibiotics, and patients visited after surgery. We calculated the rates of NI as the number of infections/100 discharges. Results. The rate of NI per 100