A Tunneled Catheter Placement Program for Community Hospices.

CONTEXT: The symptoms associated with the excessive fluid accumulation of ascites or pleural effusions can be intractable to medical management and can have a significant negative impact on quality of life of hospice patients. Hospice of the Valley, a community-based, nonprofit hospice agency has historically referred patients to outpatient providers for paracentesis, thoracentesis, and placement of tunneled drainage catheters.

OBJECTIVES

To describe an in-house pilot program of tunneled catheter placement to provide immediate and longer-term symptom relief for selected hospice patients.

METHODS

The logistics and cost of the pilot program are described. Key data elements, including select demographics, patient eligibility screening, and incidence of procedure-related or late complications are reported.

RESULTS

A total of 135 drainage procedures completed on 127 unique hospice patients over 27 months (2020-2023) were reviewed. The rate of procedure-related complications (<4%) and late complications (<3%) are low. The average cost per procedure ($1030) compares favorably with outpatient providers' fees. The program was well-accepted by the interdisciplinary hospice team, patients, and families.

CONCLUSIONS

An in-house program of tunneled catheter placement is a feasible option for hospice providers with low-cost exposure and high potential for improved quality of life and symptom relief for selected patients.