Long-term silastic catheters and chest pain.

There are multiple reports in the literature of vascular erosion in the innominate vein or superior vena cava from the use of temporary central venous catheters. Catheter malposition is likely to precede the development of superior vena cava perforations, a catastrophic complication of central venous catheters. Catheter malposition after initial adequate placement is a very unusual long-term complication and delayed recognition of this complication may have disastrous consequences. Should the catheter change position so the tip is angled toward the sidewall, the repetitive movement of the catheter tip that occurs with respiratory excursion and the cardiac cycle may lead to endothelial injury and eventual erosion of the vein. These problems are thought to be alleviated in the patient receiving long-term intravenous therapy by using a soft Silastic catheter, which may not cause as much damage to the endothelium of the vein. We report three patients with left-sided long-term indwelling Silastic catheters that had changed position over time who presented with chest pain upon infusion of their total parenteral nutrition solutions. In each case, chest x-ray revealed that the tip of the catheter had migrated and was directed against the sidewall of the superior vena cava. In each case, catheter removal and replacement with a new catheter into the right side (subclavian and jugular systems) led to prompt relief of the patient's symptoms.

Lactiferous fistula.

Lactiferous fistula, or Zuska's disease, is a rare recurrent condition characterized by draining abscesses about the nipple on one or both breasts. Because little is known about the disease, it is often misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated. We reviewed the medical records of 51 women diagnosed as having lactiferous fistula at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 1961 and 1991. The clinical features were tabulated. An experienced breast pathologist reviewed the specimens of all the patients, and surgical techniques were compared. Patients ranged in age from 14 to 66 years, with a mean age of 40 years. Thirty-six patients had a swelling or mass at the areola, 51 had a draining fistula from the subareolar tissue, 40 had a chronic thick, pasty discharge from the nipple and 35 reported pain with the discharge. Fourteen patients had unsuccessful operations elsewhere, including four women who had subcutaneous mastectomies before coming to us. The average duration of symptoms was 3.2 years and the average follow-up period postoperatively was 51 months. On histologic examination, we found that, in all instances, keratinizing squamous epithelium had replaced the lining of one or more lactiferous ducts for a variable distance into the subareolar tissue. Core excision of the fistula and all of the retroareolar fibroglandular tissue and the ductal tissue within the nipple proved to be the definitive therapy in 47 of the 48 patients who had follow-up evaluation.